Healthcare System in Canada: Guide for Indian Immigrants

The Universal Healthcare system in Canada, also known as Medicare, gives permanent residents and citizens access to a wide range of medical services. Starting in 2023 and onwards for the next 10 years is committed over $200 billion on its “Working Together to Improve Healthcare for residents in Canada”.

Backed by government funding, healthcare in Canada removes financial barriers, ensuring top-quality care for all, regardless of income or health barriers. This article will further navigate you through the Healthcare system in Canada for Indian immigrants and everything needed to understand how to access healthcare in Canada to ensure they receive the care they need.

Health Care in Canada: Access to the Universal Health Care System

Canada has a universal healthcare system that is funded through taxes, which means that any Canadian citizen or permanent resident can apply for public health insurance. 

In general terms, with public health insurance, you won’t have to pay for: 

• Most health care services

• emergency medical services, even if you don’t have a health card (there may be some restrictions depending on your immigration status)

The Canada Health Act 

The Canadian Health Act (CHA) is federal legislation that guarantees publicly funded healthcare in Canada, promoting resident health and ensuring access to services without financial barriers.

Immigrants need to know about the Canada Health Act because it can help immigrants understand their rights and entitlements regarding healthcare coverage. They will also be aware of the potential barriers to accessing healthcare that they may face.

The Five Principles of the Healthcare Act include:

1- Comprehensiveness: The comprehensiveness criterion of the Act requires that the health care insurance plan of a province or territory must cover all insured health services provided by hospitals, physicians, or dentists (i.e., surgical-dental services that require a hospital setting).

2- Accessibility: The accessibility criterion intends to ensure that insured persons in a province or territory have reasonable access to insured hospital, medical and surgical-dental services.

3- Portability: Residents moving from one province or territory to another must continue to be covered for insured health services

4-Universality: The accessibility criterion intends to ensure that insured persons in a province or territory have reasonable access to insured hospital, medical, and surgical-dental services on uniform terms and conditions

5-Public Administration: The public administration criterion requires provincial and territorial health care insurance plans to be administered and operated on a non-profit basis. 

Healthcare System in Canada for Indian Immigrants in 2O25: Provincial Health Plans 

Each province and territory has a different health plan that covers different services and products. Each plan has some important differences, so make sure you know what your plan covers. Once your province or territory adds you to their health system, you’ll get a health card. Show this card at hospitals or medical clinics to get non-emergency services.

Here is a detailed breakdown of healthcare access information for specific provinces, customized for Indian immigrants in 2025:

What's Covered and What's Not in Provincial Health Plans 

Here are some details about what's covered and what's not covered in your provincial health insurance 

Key Benefits of Canada's Healthcare System in 2025

The Canadian healthcare system is publicly funded. The funding is primarily taken through taxes, and while it's considered a single-payer system, it's not administered by one central authority. 

Here are the key benefits of Canada’s Healthcare System in 2025

Government Initiatives for Developing the Healthcare System in Canada 2025

Starting in 2025 and beyond, the government of Canada is all set to take some major healthcare initiatives to enhance advancements and innovations in Canadian healthcare, including:

1- Integration of AI: Home to 600+ AI researchers and 3 world-class AI institutes, A. The system in Canada is supported by the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy – a 5-year, $125 million plan to support research and attract talent in AI, contributing to crucial evolution in our healthcare system.

2- Canada Health Transfer: The Canadian government added a $2 billion CHT top-up in 2023, followed by a guaranteed 5% investment increase per year till 2028.

3- Allocation for Bilateral Agreements: A funding of $25 billion over next 10 years to support shared health priorities, $4.8 billion for next 4 years to support improvements to home and community care, a $3 billion funding over next 5 years to improve safety in long term care, $1.7 billion support over wage increase for personal support works & professions.

4- Improved Digital Health Tools: The Canadian government has recently introduced certain other plans and acts, such as the Nursing Retention Toolkit, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), Pharmacare Act, for the betterment of the healthcare system in Canada. 

5- The Foreign Credential Recognition Program: The Canadian government is set to invest up to $14.3 million through the Foreign Credential Recognition Program (FCRP) to assist internationally educated health professionals (IEHP) (including job placements, mentorship, etc) to join the Canadian healthcare sector.

How to Find a Healthcare Provider? 

Once you have got (or are in the process of getting) your health card, the next step involved is to find healthcare, for which you would need to check your health insurance plan for a list of providers in their network. 

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Useful Links: Further Reading & Information

• How To Become a Doctor in Canada From India?

• Medical Test for Canada PR in 2025: All You Need To Know

• Detailed Canada PR Process from India in 2025