Your provincial health card has the same expiry date as your work permit. When the permit expires while IRCC is still processing your extension, the health card usually expires too — even though you are legally allowed to stay and work. Whether your coverage continues depends entirely on your province, and each one handles it differently.
Quick Answer
Most provinces will extend your coverage while you are on maintained status, but almost none do it automatically — you have to send proof that you applied to IRCC before your permit expired. British Columbia gives an initial six months of temporary coverage, New Brunswick up to six months backdated, Alberta a first extension of up to 90 days, and Manitoba extends coverage while the application is processed. Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia say you may be eligible but decide case by case. Act before your card expires if you can.
This guide summarizes each province’s published rules as of September 2026. Health plans decide eligibility individually and may ask for more documents. Always confirm with your plan using the official links below.
Province-by-Province Rules
| Province / territory | What the plan says about maintained status | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia (MSP) | Eligible people on maintained status may get an initial six months of temporary coverage, with more if needed. | IRCC receipt showing you applied before your permit expired. If you ask 4+ weeks after expiry, also proof the application is still active. Submit via the MSP Account Change Request form (allow about 21 days). |
| Alberta (AHCIP) | Coverage may be extended while you wait; the first extension is up to 90 days. If your new permit notes “maintained” or “restored,” coverage may be reinstated and backdated. | The date of your IRCC application and the application number. |
| Manitoba | Work permit holders may temporarily extend coverage while an extension is processed. | IRCC confirmation of receipt (online) or Acknowledgement of Receipt letter, plus the official IRCC fee receipt. |
| New Brunswick (Medicare) | For temporary foreign workers on maintained status, coverage may be extended six months, retroactive to the date the previous IRCC document expired. | IRCC Acknowledgement of Receipt letter showing your name, the received date and your authorization to keep working; email it to NB Medicare eligibility. |
| Ontario (OHIP) | Ontario says people on maintained status may be eligible and should contact ServiceOntario. | Proof of your on-time IRCC application and your expired permit; bring documents in person to ServiceOntario. Work permit holders generally also need proof of full-time employment for OHIP eligibility. |
| Quebec (RAMQ) | Temporary workers cannot renew their card; they re-register when their status changes. RAMQ asks people with a pending renewal to contact it to confirm eligibility. | Contact RAMQ; expect to need your new permit to re-register. |
| Nova Scotia (MSI) | If you applied before your permit expired and are waiting for IRCC, you may be eligible for extended coverage. | Contact MSI Resident Services before your permit expires. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (MCP) | Coverage extensions for non-Canadians require updated immigration documents; MCP may issue interim coverage in some pending-application cases. | Contact MCP with your IRCC receipt and passport. |
| Saskatchewan | No published maintained-status rule found. | Contact eHealth Saskatchewan with your IRCC receipt. |
| Prince Edward Island | No published maintained-status rule found; cards end with the permit. | Contact Health PEI with your IRCC receipt. |
| Yukon, NWT, Nunavut | No published maintained-status rule found. | Contact your territorial health plan. |
What to Do, in Order
- Apply to IRCC before your permit expires. Without an on-time application there is no maintained status and nothing for the health plan to extend.
- Save your proof immediately: the acknowledgement of receipt, the fee receipt, and for online applications the WP-EXT letter (what each document is).
- Contact your health plan in the weeks before your card expires, not after. BC, for example, asks for extra proof if you request coverage four or more weeks after your permit expired.
- When the new permit arrives, update your health card with the new expiry date, and ask whether any gap can be backdated.
If You Need Care While Coverage Is Uncertain
- Emergencies: go to the emergency department. Treatment is never refused in an emergency; billing is sorted out later.
- Keep every receipt. If your coverage is later backdated (as in New Brunswick and sometimes Alberta), you may be able to claim costs back.
- Check workplace benefits. Group insurance through your employer may cover prescriptions and some services during a gap.
- Pregnancy or ongoing treatment: contact your plan urgently and tell them — plans can prioritize files.
International Students
Rules for students differ more than for workers. Some provinces cover international students under the provincial plan and extend coverage on maintained status (BC’s rule covers people waiting for a work or study permit); others, like Ontario, do not cover international students under the provincial plan at all, so students rely on their school’s insurance. New Brunswick’s maintained-status extension is described for temporary foreign workers.
FAQ
Does maintained status automatically keep my health card valid?
No. Maintained status keeps your right to stay and work, but health plans are provincial and most require you to send proof before they extend coverage.
My card already expired. Is it too late?
Usually not. Several provinces extend or backdate coverage after the fact; contact your plan now with your IRCC documents.
Do I need to do anything when my new permit arrives?
Yes. Update your health plan with the new permit so the card’s expiry date matches it.
Related Guides
Sources
- Government of BC — MSP: Maintained status holders
- Government of Alberta — Health care coverage for temporary residents
- Manitoba Health — New work permits and temporary permit extensions
- Government of New Brunswick — Applying for Medicare coverage
- Government of Ontario — Apply for OHIP
- RAMQ — Register as a temporary worker
- Nova Scotia — MSI eligibility
- Newfoundland and Labrador — MCP FAQ
