What can I do to ensure I have primary medical insurance while I wait for my study permit extension?

IF YOU HAVE BC Medical Services Plan (MSP)

Eligible individuals residing in BC on maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit may be eligible for an initial six months of temporary MSP coverage, with additional temporary coverage provided as applicable.

If your temporary permits have expired and you no longer have BC MSP coverage, you may be provided temporary MSP coverage if:

• You have applied for a new study or work permit (maintained status/formerly known as implied status);
• Remain in BC on maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit;
• Were previously enrolled with MSP;
• Individuals must demonstrate they hold maintained status by providing Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receipts showing they applied for their new permit before the expiration of their original permit (or documentation from IRCC if a receipt is not available); and,
• If the temporary coverage is requested four weeks or longer after the expiration of their original permit, the individual will also need to provide documentation from IRCC demonstrating their application is still active. This may be from the IRCC website or documentation from IRCC.

Individuals should contact Health Insurance BC to request this temporary coverage. For more information, please visit the BC MSP website.

IF YOU HAVE GUARD.ME@SFU PLAN (OR ANOTHER PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE)

You can purchase interim coverage through guard.me while you wait for your study permit. The guard.me@SFU plan is available at $2.30 per person per day with a minimum purchase of 60 days. Please visit their website to purchase interim insurance.

Note that all British Columbia residents (including study permit holders) are required to enroll with the British Columbia Medical Services Plan (BC MSP), BC’s provincial primary medical insurance plan. Once you have received your new study permit, apply for MSP right away. Please visit the BC MSP website to apply.