You land in Vancouver on the 10th of the month, start your new job a week later, and on day three you twist your ankle on a slippery loading dock. Who pays for the clinic visit? Do you tell your manager or the doctor first? And are you even covered by public health insurance yet?
These questions are easier to answer before you need them. This guide covers the two systems every worker in British Columbia deals with: the Medical Services Plan (MSP) for health care, and WorkSafeBC for injuries and safety at work. It is general information, not legal or medical advice; check the official pages linked below or a qualified professional for your situation. This article was first prepared with the help of RésoSanté, which keeps a directory of health professionals who can serve you in French anywhere in BC.
MSP: BC's Public Health Insurance
The Medical Services Plan pays for medically necessary services from physicians and other health care practitioners. Since January 1, 2020, there are no MSP premiums, but enrolment is still mandatory for residents (Government of BC).
Who Is Eligible
You are generally eligible if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, make your home in BC and are physically present in the province at least six months in a calendar year. Some study and work permit holders are deemed residents and can enrol when their permit is valid for six months or more; this includes working holiday permits. Tourists and visitors are not eligible. The eligibility page lists the details, including rules for dependants.
The Wait Period
This is the part that surprises newcomers. Coverage usually starts after a wait period made up of the rest of your arrival month plus two months. If you arrive on March 10, for example, coverage would typically begin on June 1. The province advises getting private health insurance for the wait, ideally arranged before you arrive.
Apply as soon as you arrive. You can apply online or on paper through the BC Application for Health and Drug Coverage, and most adults then visit an ICBC driver licensing office to get their BC Services Card. Questions go to Health Insurance BC: 604-683-7151 in the Lower Mainland, or 1-800-663-7100 elsewhere in BC.
What MSP Does Not Cover
MSP pays for medically required care from doctors, plus hospital and diagnostic services. It does not cover most prescription drugs, routine dental care, or eye exams that are not medically required. For drugs, register for Fair PharmaCare once you are enrolled in MSP: the less your family earns, the more help it gives. Many employers also offer extended health and dental benefits, so ask HR about benefits in your first week.
Finding a Family Doctor
Once you have your Personal Health Number, register on the Health Connect Registry, the province's waitlist for a family doctor or nurse practitioner. It takes a few minutes online, or you can call 8-1-1 to register in another language. While you wait, walk-in clinics and the HealthLink BC line at 8-1-1, open 24/7, can help.
WorkSafeBC: Your Rights and Responsibilities
WorkSafeBC is the provincial agency for workplace health and safety and for compensation when workers are injured. As a worker in BC, you have three basic rights (WorkSafeBC):
- the right to know about hazards in the workplace;
- the right to participate in health and safety activities in the workplace;
- the right to refuse unsafe work.
You also have responsibilities:
- watch for hazards and report them right away to your supervisor or employer;
- follow safe work procedures and act safely at all times;
- use the protective clothing, devices and equipment provided, and wear them properly;
- cooperate with joint health and safety committees, worker representatives, WorkSafeBC prevention officers and anyone else with safety duties;
- never work while impaired by alcohol, drugs or other substances, or when overly tired;
- report any work-related injury or illness to your employer as soon as possible, and tell your health care provider it happened at work;
- work with your employer on a safe return to work after an injury.
In many workplaces, refusing unsafe work is not a habit newcomers bring with them. In BC it is a right, and you can use it. If you want to talk through Canadian workplace norms like this one as part of your job search, a one-hour Face-to-Face session with a career advisor covers work culture along with your resume, LinkedIn profile and job search plan. For the broader picture, read our guide to foreign workers' rights in Canada.
If You Are Injured at Work
WorkSafeBC sets out these steps (how workers report an injury):
- Put your health and safety first and get treatment if you need it.
- Tell your employer as soon as it is safe to do so.
- See a doctor or other health care provider, and tell them the injury happened at work.
- Report the injury to WorkSafeBC, online at any time or by phone. You have up to one year from the date of injury to report it, but reporting sooner gets you a decision faster.
For general health and safety questions, WorkSafeBC's Prevention Information Line is 604.276.3100 in the Lower Mainland, or 1.888.621.7233 toll-free.
If You Are Sick, Not Injured
An illness that has nothing to do with work is covered by BC's Employment Standards Act, not WorkSafeBC. Once you have worked for your employer for at least 90 days, you are entitled to up to five paid sick days a year, plus three unpaid days (Government of BC). Your employer can ask for reasonably sufficient proof that you were ill. Federally regulated workplaces, such as banks and airlines, follow federal rules instead. For how to tell your manager, see the section on calling in sick in our Canadian workplace etiquette guide.
Back to That Ankle
So, the twisted ankle on day three: tell your employer, see a doctor and say it happened at work, and report it to WorkSafeBC. A work injury follows WorkSafeBC's claim process; for everything else in those first months, the private insurance you bought for the wait period is what protects you. For how the system works across the country, see our introduction to the Canadian healthcare system.
If you are planning a move to BC and want to talk through your job search, book a 15-minute career consultation with our team.
