Health insurance
Persons who take up residence outside Québec cease to be covered by the Health Insurance Plan. They must notify the Régie of their departure and return their Health Insurance Card to the Régie.
Taking up residence elsewhere in Canada
Persons who take up residence elsewhere in Canada are generally no longer covered after the end of the second calendar month following the date they take up residence in another province. Here is an example
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Up to that day, the persons benefit from services covered outside Québec.
If they were covered by the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, their coverage ceases on the day they leave Québec.
Persons who decide to take up residence in another Canadian province while spending time there generally cease to be covered after the end of the second calendar month following the date they take up residence in that province. If they were covered by the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, their coverage ceases on the day they take up residence in the other province.
Taking up residence outside Canada
Persons taking up residence outside Canada lose their coverage as of the day of their departure.
Persons who decide to take up residence outside Canada while in another country cease to be covered as of the day they take up residence in the other country. Their coverage under the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan ends at the same time, if applicable.
Agreements with other countries
The Québec government has entered into reciprocal social security agreements, which include a health component, with the following countries:
- Belgium;
- Denmark;
- Finland;
- France;
- Greece;
- Luxembourg;
- Norway;
- Portugal; and
- Sweden.
The provisions of those agreements concern temporary workers, students, employees who are detached Detached worker
Workers carrying out activities in a different country than the one where their employer is located. They remain subject to their employer. from their employers and, in certain cases, the spouse and dependants accompanying them.
The purpose of these agreements is to promote mobility between Québec and signatory countries. Among other things, they:
- allow persons to be covered by the health insurance plan offered in those countries;
- save the persons from having to go through a waiting period before becoming eligible for that country's health insurance coverage.
Before leaving Québec
Temporary workers and students must get an attestation of affiliation with the Québec Health Insurance Plan. To obtain it, contact the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec.
Detached workers must obtain a certificate of coverage from the Régie des rentes du Québec. Certain countries will require, in addition, an attestation of coverage with the Québec Health Insurance Plan.
Upon arrival in the host country
The attestation of affiliation or certificate of coverage must be presented to the host country's social security organization, accompanied, where applicable, by the documents required under the legislation of that country.
Further information
The social security agreements in effect include a pension component. Some of these agreements also contain provisions concerning industrial accidents and occupational diseases. For further information, go to the websites of the Régie des rentes du Québec and the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (French only).
For the full texts of these social security agreements, visit the website of the Ministère des Relations internationales.