Moving outside Québec
If you leave Québec permanently to take up residence elsewhere in Canada or abroad, you will cease to be covered by the Québec Health Insurance Plan and the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. In this respect, you are required to take certain steps before leaving Québec and upon arriving in your host province or country.
Procedure concerning health insurance
Taking up residence elsewhere in Canada
If you take up residence elsewhere in Canada, you must contact us to inform us of your departure and return your Health Insurance Card.
You will cease to be covered by the Québec Health Insurance Plan on the 1st day of the 3rd month following your arrival date. If you decide to take up residence in another Canadian province while you are spending time there, and do not return to Québec, you will cease to be covered on the 1st day of the 3rd month following the date on which you decide to take up residence in that province.
During the period from your arrival date and the date on which you cease to be covered under the Québec Health Insurance Plan, you will be covered for services outside Québec.
A person arrives in British Columbia on June 10 to take up residence. Her coverage under the Québec Health Insurance Plan will end after August 31, which is the last day of the second month following the month of her arrival in British Columbia. In her case, that second month is August.
- Month of arrival: June
- 1st month: July
- 2nd month: August
Taking up residence outside Canada
If you take up residence outside Canada, you must contact us to inform us of your departure and return your Health Insurance Card. You will cease to be covered by the Québec Health Insurance Plan on the day of your departure.
If you decide to take up residence in another country while you are spending time there, and do not return to Québec, you will cease to be covered on the date on which you decide to take up residence in that country.
Taking up residence in a country that signed a social security agreement
The Québec government has entered into reciprocal social security agreements, which include a health component, with Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Sweden.
If you take up residence in a country having signed such an agreement, you can obtain an attestation of affiliation, which will exempt you from the waiting period that would normally apply before you become eligible for the health insurance plan of the country where you wish to settle. See the procedure before leaving Québec, depending on your situation.
Procedure concerning prescription drug insurance
Persons covered by the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan who take up residence in another Canadian province or outside Canada cease to be eligible as of their departure date. They must notify RAMQ of their departure.