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OHIP and health care in Ontario - eligibility, applying and finding a doctor

How Ontario's public health insurance (OHIP) works for newcomers in Toronto: who is eligible, the end of the three-month waiting period, applying in person at ServiceOntario, what OHIP does not cover, OHIP+, finding a family doctor through Health Care Connect and calling Health811.

Checked 8 Oct 2026
Applies to
Everyone who moves to Ontario. Canadian citizens and permanent residents are usually eligible for OHIP; some temporary residents, such as people with a work permit and a full-time job in Ontario for at least six months, may be too. Visitors and many international students are not eligible and need private or school health insurance instead.
Effort
Medium effort
Time needed
One visit to a ServiceOntario centre; your health card then arrives by mail
Cost
Free to apply; OHIP itself has no premiums for individuals
When
Apply as soon as you have proof of your status and an Ontario address; there is no waiting period if you are eligible
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Before you start
  3. Documents you need
  4. Step by step
  5. What OHIP covers and does not cover
  6. Prescription drugs - OHIP+
  7. Dental care - the Canadian Dental Care Plan
  8. If you are not eligible for OHIP
  9. Keeping your coverage
  10. Watch out
  11. Common mistakes
  12. Tips
  13. Frequently asked questions
  14. Official links
  15. In your plan
  16. Sources
  17. Related guides

In Canada, each province runs its own public health insurance plan. In Ontario it is the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), managed by the Ministry of Health. If you are eligible, OHIP pays for medically necessary doctor visits, hospital care and many tests; you show your Ontario health card at every appointment.

There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP. Ontario's official page states: "There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage." If you are eligible, your coverage starts right away. (Ontario used to make most newcomers wait three months; that rule no longer applies.) Not everyone who lives in Ontario is eligible, however, so check the rules below before you rely on OHIP.

Before you start

  • Proof of your citizenship or of an OHIP-eligible immigration status
  • Proof that you live in Ontario, such as a lease
  • Proof of identity

Documents you need

  • Passport (proof of identity)

    required

  • PR card or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (permanent residents)

    optional

  • Work permit (temporary foreign workers), with proof of a full-time job in Ontario for at least six months

    optional

  • Proof of Ontario residency

    required

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Check whether you are eligible

    You must meet all of these minimum requirements:

    • you are physically present in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period;
    • you are physically present in Ontario for 153 of the first 183 days after you began living here; and
    • Ontario is your primary place of residence.

    You must also meet one of the additional requirements, for example:

    • you are a Canadian citizen, a registered Indigenous person or a permanent resident;
    • you have applied for permanent residence and IRCC has confirmed that you meet the eligibility requirements to apply, and you have not been refused;
    • you hold a valid work permit and work full time for an Ontario employer for at least six months (your spouse and dependent children may also qualify); or
    • you are a member of the clergy ministering full time in Ontario for at least six months.

    The official page lists other eligible groups. If your work permit has expired but you are on maintained status, contact ServiceOntario.

  2. Step 2: Gather three original documents

    Bring the completed Registration for Ontario Health Insurance Coverage form and three original documents (photocopies are not accepted):

    1. proof of Canadian citizenship or of an OHIP-eligible immigration status (for example a PR card, Confirmation of Permanent Residence or work permit);
    2. proof of Ontario residency (for example a rental or lease agreement or an Ontario driver's licence); and
    3. proof of identity (for example your passport).

    Ontario publishes the full list of accepted documents; one document can sometimes only count for one category.

  3. Step 3: Apply in person at ServiceOntario

    You must apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre; use the ServiceOntario location finder to choose a centre in Toronto and check its hours. Ontario does not publish a general processing time for adult applications, so ask at the counter when your coverage starts and keep any paperwork you are given until the card arrives by mail.

  4. Step 4: Find a family doctor or nurse practitioner

    Register with Health Care Connect online or by calling 811 (TTY 711). You need a valid Ontario health card number, and the mailing address must match your health card. A Care Connector searches for a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team accepting new patients near you; people with greater needs are matched first, and there is no guarantee of a quick match. When a match is found you receive a letter and the clinic contacts you.

  5. Step 5: Know where to get care while you wait

    • Health811 (call 811, TTY 1-866-797-0007, 24/7) connects you with a registered nurse for advice on minor health issues and helps you decide where to go.
    • In an emergency, call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department.

What OHIP covers and does not cover

OHIP covers medically necessary doctor visits (in person, by video or by phone), hospital care including tests and in-patient medicines, many laboratory tests, and part or all of the cost of ambulance services in many cases. It covers eye exams only for children and youth, adults 65 and over and adults with eligible eye conditions.

OHIP does not cover prescription drugs outside hospital (except through programs such as OHIP+), dental care in a dentist's office, glasses or contact lenses, most eye surgery and cosmetic surgery. Many employers offer an extended health and dental plan for these costs.

Prescription drugs - OHIP+

OHIP+ pays for more than 5,900 prescription medications for people aged 24 or younger who have OHIP and are not covered by a private plan. There is no separate enrolment: show the young person's health card at the pharmacy. Coverage ends on their 25th birthday or when they become covered by a private plan.

Dental care - the Canadian Dental Care Plan

The federal Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) helps people who have no access to private dental coverage, have filed a Canadian tax return for the previous year (with their spouse or partner), are Canadian residents for tax purposes and have an adjusted family net income under $90,000. Because a tax return is required, most newcomers can apply only after their first tax filing.

If you are not eligible for OHIP

Visitors, many international students and people on short work permits are not covered by OHIP. Arrange private health insurance before you arrive and keep proof of it with you; universities and colleges usually explain the student plan they use. If ServiceOntario decides you are not eligible and you disagree, you can ask the OHIP Eligibility Review Committee to review the decision, and then appeal to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board within 30 days of its written decision.

Keeping your coverage

Tell ServiceOntario when you move, and renew your card before it expires. If you are outside Ontario for more than 212 days in any 12-month period, you may have to reapply in person.

Watch out

Until you are covered by OHIP or another plan, you pay the full cost of any medical care yourself, which can be very expensive in hospital.

Photocopies are not accepted at ServiceOntario: bring original documents.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming there is still a three-month waiting period and delaying the application.
  • Bringing a work permit without proof of a full-time job with an Ontario employer for at least six months.
  • Registering with Health Care Connect with a mailing address that does not match the health card.

Tips

  • Save 811 in your phone on your first day.
  • Ask your employer whether your benefits plan covers prescriptions, dental care and eye care, and when coverage starts.

Frequently asked questions

Editorial answers written by our team, based on the sources below.

Is there still a three-month wait for OHIP in Ontario?

No. The Ontario government states that there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage: if you are eligible, coverage starts immediately. You must still apply in person and meet the eligibility rules.

I am not eligible for OHIP. Can I still get a family doctor?

Health Care Connect requires a valid Ontario health card. Without OHIP you can still be seen by doctors and clinics, but you pay their fees yourself or claim them from your private or student insurance, so check what your policy covers before you need care.

In your plan

  • Apply for OHIP at ServiceOntario
  • Arrange health insurance if you will not have OHIP
  • Register with Health Care Connect to find a family doctor
  • Estimate your Toronto budget, including move-in costs

Sources

Written and checked by HomiStart editorial against the official sources below. Next scheduled check: 5 Feb 2027.

  1. Government of OntarioOfficial source
    Apply for OHIP and get a health card (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

    Updated July 21, 2025. States: "There is no longer a waiting period for OHIP coverage." Eligibility, three original documents, in-person application, 212-day rule, OERC review.

  2. Government of OntarioOfficial source
    What OHIP covers (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  3. Government of OntarioOfficial source
    Find a family doctor or nurse practitioner (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  4. Government of OntarioOfficial source
    Learn about OHIP+ (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026
  5. City of TorontoOfficial source
    Make the right call (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

    Health811 at 811, TTY 1-866-797-0007, 24/7.

  6. Government of CanadaOfficial source
    Do you qualify - Canadian Dental Care Plan (Opens {{site}} in a new tab)
    Accessed 8 Oct 2026

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