TIPS: Canadian Snowbird Residency Minimums

Snowbirds Minimum Canadian Residency for Health Insurance

Before you pack the sunscreen and the golf clubs for your sunny destination down south, be sure you are aware of the amount of time you need to be resident IN your province, so you know exactly how long you can be AWAY from it.

Ontario’s Health Insurance recently changed its residency minimum, allowing for additional time away, but each province can be a little different.

PROVINCIAL MINIMUM RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS:

Ontario, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories: 153 days (you can now spend 212 days away)

British Columbia, Manitoba, Yukon: 6 months

Saskatchewan: 5 months

Alberta, Nova Scotia: 183 days

Prince Edward Island: 6 months PLUS a day

Newfoundland & Labrador: this, from their website:

“Eligible beneficiaries who have been registered with MCP for at least one year may leave Newfoundland and Labrador for vacation purposes for up to eight months each year, and once every five years, may leave for up to one full year. After a year in which the total period of absence exceeds eight months, in each of the following four years, absences must not exceed eight months. Newly registered beneficiaries in their first year of registration may not leave for vacation purposes for a period of time longer than they have been registered as an MCP beneficiary (i.e., no more than six months total).”

Quebec: 183 days (but there are exceptions here, so check on their website.

Nunavut: (Note: The requirements for Nunavut were not expressly outlined re: minimum days of residency, but snowbirds should refer to their website as they may need to inform the government of their absence to maintain their coverage.)