All international students studying in Canada are required to have health insurance. Several Canadian provinces will provide health insurance to international students under their provincial plan, but not all do. While all provinces and territories in Canada will provide free emergency health services to individuals who don’t have a health card, these services are restricted. 

If you aren’t eligible for health care and don’t have health insurance, you will have to pay out-of-pocket for health-related expenses. And these services can be very expensive. While you may only pay $120 CAD to see a doctor at a walk-in clinic, you could have a bill of $1,000 CAD for an emergency room visit and $3,700 CAD for acute care in a standard ward. Depending on where you go for treatment, you may be expected to pay for costs upfront. 

It’s easy to see how a medical emergency could cost you thousands of dollars. No one plans to get sick. But should the worst happen, you want to be prepared. 

If you are planning to study in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Yukon, or are in your first year of studies in Nova Scotia, you should get health insurance coverage.

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