Canadian Caregivers and Medical Insurance

***********************
UPDATE: please note that the LCP program mentioned below is no longer available for new applicants. Newly arrived caregivers must apply for a standard work permit. We will be updating this post as soon as we can
find out more information for caregivers in Canada. Visitor to Canada insurance is still applicable, however.
*********************** 

Live-in caregivers are people who provide in-home care for children, elders or people with disabilities. By definition live-in caregivers (e.g. “nannies”) must reside in the house where they are working.

There is a program in Canada called the “Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)¹” that allows foreign caregivers to work in Canada and receive provincial healthcare coverage. Under this program foreign caregivers have up to four years to apply for permanent residency if they choose to do so.

According to LCP regulations the family that hires the nanny is considered an “employer”, and as such must meet various obligations to qualify for the program (e.g. wage and work condition requirements).

One of these responsibilities is providing medical insurance coverage to the caregiver until the caregiver is eligible for provincial healthcare coverage.

Caregivers, Provincial Healthcare and Visitor to Canada Insurance

Under the Live-in Caregiver Program caregivers are entitled to the same provincial healthcare coverage as Canadian citizens. However, in most provinces there is a waiting period before a caregiver is eligible for provincial healthcare.

Important: caregivers should always apply for provincial healthcare upon their arrival into Canada!

Here are the eligibility wait periods by province:

• Alberta: may be eligible immediately (please contact AHCIP for more information)
• British Columbia: eligible the balance of the arrival month plus two months
• Manitoba: eligible on the first day of the third month after arrival
• New Brunswick: : eligible on the first day of the third month after arrival
• Northwest Territories: eligible the balance of the arrival month plus two months
• Nova Scotia: eligible the date of arrival (application processing wait period only)
• Ontario: 3 month waiting period from date of arrival
• Prince Edward Island: eligible the first day caregiver becomes a resident
• Quebec: 3 month waiting period from date of application
• Saskatchewan: eligible the first day of the third calendar month after arrival

Visitors to Canada insurance can be used to provide the caregiver with emergency medical coverage until such time as the caregiver is eligible for a provincial healthcare plan. In addition, Visitor to Canada insurance can also provide “in-transit” medical coverage when traveling from the home country to Canada.

Typical visitor insurance plans cover things such as:

• Emergency medical costs
• Emergency hospital costs
• Emergency ambulance costs
• Accidental death and dismemberment

Here are some sample premium rates for a 3 month period for a single, 30 year old caregiver:

• $25,000 of coverage = $211.71
• $50,000 of coverage = $246.45
• $100,000 of coverage = $332.94
• $150,000 of coverage = $377.91

For instant, online visitor to Canada insurance quotes please click here.

Know Your Caregiver Rights

All foreign caregivers should familiarize themselves with the rights accorded to them by Canadian law.

By right caregivers:

• Must be paid at least minimum wage for their province of employment
• Must be paid overtime wages (the amount is province dependent)
• Must be paid vacation time (the length of time is province dependent)
• Cannot be charged more than a set maximum cost for room and board (province specific)

For more details please go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/caregiver/index.asp.

Conclusion

We hope you found this blog “Canadian Caregivers and Medical Insurance” useful. Caregivers serve an important role in our society, and are tasked with taking care of people who cannot take care of themselves.

If you have any questions at all please contact us. We are here to assist!


References:
¹ See http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/work/caregiver/index.asp for more information.