The duration of your insurance coverage directly impacts your WHV (Canada)
One of the requirements of participating in the Working Holiday program is to buy a health insurance plan covering medical care, hospitalization, and repatriation. It must be valid for your entire stay in Canada.
When you arrive in Canada, the border officer may ask for proof of health insurance valid for 12 or 24 months (depending on your citizenship and WHV conditions).
Every year, we get feedback from disappointed WHV holders who were issued a work permit that expires at the same time as their insurance. We’ve heard from members who bought a three-month health insurance policy and who were issued a three-month WHV. If that’s the case, you’re out of luck—the Government of Canada warns that “you will not be able to apply to change the conditions of your work permit at a later date.”
Better safe than sorry, take health insurance seriously before going to Canada.
Feedback received on May 18, 2015: