How to Apply for OHIP and Get Your First Ontario Health Card

Who can apply for OHIP?

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan, commonly called OHIP, is Ontario's publicly funded health insurance plan. If you qualify, you register through ServiceOntario and receive an Ontario health card as proof of your coverage.

With certain exceptions, you must satisfy both Ontario's residency rules and an eligible citizenship or immigration-status category.

The standard residency conditions require you to:

• make Ontario your primary residence;
• be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period; and
• be physically present in Ontario for at least 153 of the first 183 days immediately after you begin living in Ontario.

You do not have to complete those 153 days before applying. Ontario states that eligible residents can apply as soon as they arrive in Ontario.

Which citizenship or immigration statuses qualify?

In addition to the residency conditions, most applicants must meet at least one eligible-status requirement. Ontario's current list includes people who:

• are Canadian citizens;
• are registered as an Indian under the federal Indian Act;
• are permanent residents;
• have applied for permanent residence and IRCC has confirmed that they meet the eligibility requirements to apply and the application has not been denied;
• hold a qualifying work permit and meet Ontario's employment requirements;
• hold a valid work permit under the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program;
• are convention refugees or other protected persons;
• hold qualifying Temporary Resident Permits, including specified case types;
• are qualifying clergy members who are legally entitled to remain in Canada and will minister full time in Ontario for at least six months; or
• fall within another specific eligibility category recognized by Ontario law.

Eligibility can depend on the exact immigration document and circumstances. A visitor to Ontario is not eligible for OHIP merely because they are physically present in the province.

Can a work permit holder get OHIP?

Some temporary foreign workers can qualify. Ontario states that a person with a valid work permit may qualify when they are working full time in Ontario for an Ontario employer for at least six months.

The employment proof used for health-card registration must meet specific requirements. Ontario's document guidance says the employer document should be an original or digital contract or letter on company letterhead, signed and dated by the employer, and should state:

• that the employee is working full time;
• the job title or occupation;
• the employment start date; and
• that the employer intends to employ the worker for at least six months.

If the worker meets the qualifying employment rule, their spouse and dependants may also qualify. Ontario also advises that a worker whose permit has expired but who has maintained status may still be eligible in some circumstances and should contact ServiceOntario for guidance.

Is there still a three-month OHIP waiting period?

No. Ontario states that there is no longer an OHIP waiting period. If you are eligible, you can have health insurance coverage immediately.

This is different from the residency requirement. You still have to satisfy the applicable requirement to be physically present in Ontario for 153 days, but you do not need to wait until those 153 days have passed before registering.

What documents do you need for your first health card?

Most first-time applicants need a completed Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form and three separate qualifying documents.

1. Proof of citizenship or immigration status

You need one qualifying document proving Canadian citizenship or an OHIP-eligible immigration status.

Examples on Ontario's official document list include:

• a Canadian passport, including one expired no more than five years;
• a provincial or territorial Canadian birth certificate;
• a Canadian citizenship certificate;
• a Certificate of Indian Status;
• a Permanent Resident Card that is valid or expired no more than five years;
• a Confirmation of Permanent Residence;
• a Record of Landing;
• qualifying IRCC confirmation for certain permanent-residence applicants;
• documents confirming protected-person status;
• certain Temporary Resident Permits; and
• a qualifying work permit together with required Ontario employment evidence.

The acceptable document depends on your status, so use the current Ontario Health Coverage Document List rather than assuming that every Canadian or immigration document is accepted.

2. Proof that you live in Ontario

Your second document must prove Ontario residency and must be different from the citizenship or immigration-status document.

Examples listed by Ontario include a valid Ontario driver's licence, Ontario Photo Card, utility bill, Ontario motor vehicle permit and certain government statements or records.

Ontario allows specified residency documents to be shown as an original, printed version or digital/electronic image. However, some documents, including an Ontario driver's licence, Ontario Photo Card and Ontario motor vehicle permit, must be presented in original form.

3. Proof of identity

The third document confirms who you are. Ontario states that an identity document must include your name and signature.

Examples include a credit card, valid Ontario driver's licence, Ontario Photo Card, passport, certain permanent-resident or immigration documents, current employee identification, student identification or another document on Ontario's approved list.

You cannot normally use the same document to satisfy all three categories. Bring three separate documents.

What documents do children need?

Ontario's requirements vary by a child's circumstances. The province states that children under 16 do not require proof of residency or identity in certain registration contexts, although applicants who rely on immigration status must have their own applicable IRCC immigration document.

For a child under 16, a parent with legal custody or another person legally authorized to act for the child may submit the application under Ontario's health-insurance rules.

If a child has been adopted in Ontario or another Canadian province or territory, Ontario advises applicants to contact ServiceOntario because the required documentation depends on the stage of the adoption process.

For a child born in Ontario who needs proof of birth for government services, Helpydo has a separate guide to ordering or replacing an Ontario birth certificate.

Do you apply online or at ServiceOntario?

A standard first-time OHIP application must be made in person at a ServiceOntario centre. Ontario does not currently provide a complete online first-registration route.

You can prepare before your visit by completing the Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form and checking the current list of acceptable documents. Some ServiceOntario centres allow appointments to be booked ahead of time.

Because not every location necessarily provides every ServiceOntario service, confirm that your chosen centre handles health-card registration before travelling when practical.

How much does your first Ontario health card cost?

There is no fee to register for OHIP or receive an Ontario health card.

OHIP also covers many medically necessary physician and hospital services for eligible insured residents, although not every health product, service or treatment is insured.

What happens at the ServiceOntario appointment?

A ServiceOntario representative reviews your registration form, identity and residency evidence, and your Canadian citizenship or immigration documentation. Additional evidence can be requested if the Ministry of Health needs it to determine eligibility.

If your application is accepted, you may receive a transaction record. Ontario guidance explains that this record identifies the health number and version code and can be used as confirmation while the physical card is being mailed.

Keep that record until your card arrives.

How long does the first health card take to arrive?

There is no waiting period before eligible OHIP coverage begins. The physical card itself is mailed separately.

Ontario guidance for new health-card registrations states that a new health card is generally mailed within approximately 4 to 6 weeks to the address provided during registration.

If you need insured health care while waiting for the card, keep the transaction record provided at registration. If there is a problem with your health-card application or delivery, contact ServiceOntario.

What should newcomers and returning residents know?

New permanent residents and other eligible newcomers can apply as soon as they establish residence in Ontario. They do not need to wait three months or first accumulate 153 days in the province.

However, you must continue to meet the applicable OHIP residency rules. For most residents, this includes making Ontario your primary home and meeting the required physical-presence thresholds.

A returning Canadian citizen or permanent resident who previously lived outside Ontario should also bring documents that establish both their current eligibility status and Ontario residence. If you already had an Ontario health card in the past, tell ServiceOntario rather than treating the old health number as irrelevant.

Special OHIP eligibility situations

Ontario has special rules for some applicants. For example, spouses and dependants of Canadian Forces members or reservists deployed into active service may qualify and must provide accepted military-affiliation documentation in addition to the standard application documents.

Ontario also maintains specific eligibility provisions for people admitted under qualifying humanitarian emergency authorizations. The documents and duration of coverage depend on the authorization and current provincial rules.

Because these categories can require evidence not used in an ordinary first-time application, follow ServiceOntario's instructions for your exact status.

Common mistakes that can delay your OHIP registration

• Going to ServiceOntario without the completed Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form.
• Bringing only one or two documents instead of the required three separate qualifying documents.
• Using a document for the wrong evidence category.
• Bringing a photocopy when Ontario requires the original document.
• Assuming any work permit automatically provides OHIP eligibility without meeting the applicable Ontario employment conditions.
• Using a visitor document as if visitor status alone qualified for OHIP.
• Assuming you must wait 153 days before applying even though Ontario has removed the waiting period.
• Failing to provide additional employer evidence when applying through the qualifying worker category.
• Not updating ServiceOntario when your immigration status or other relevant information changes.

What happens after you receive the card?

Your Ontario health card is evidence that you are insured under OHIP. Present a valid card when receiving insured health services so the provider can validate your coverage.

Continue meeting OHIP residency and status requirements while you are insured. Your card will eventually need to be renewed, and some immigration-status-based cards may have validity tied to your status documentation.

When renewal becomes necessary, use the separate Helpydo guide to renew an Ontario health card online or in person.