{"id":"u88","name":"OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan): apply for an Ontario health card","type":"program","typeLabel":"Program","what":"Ontario's public health insurance. With a health card, OHIP pays the full cost of medically necessary doctor visits and covers hospital visits and stays, lab tests and other services. You apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre.","forWhom":"People who make Ontario their main home, are physically in Ontario at least 153 days in any 12-month period (and at least 153 of the first 183 days after starting to live here), and are a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a registered Indigenous person, a convention refugee or other protected person, an applicant for permanent residence whose application IRCC has confirmed meets the eligibility requirements to apply, or a valid work permit holder working full time in Ontario for an Ontario employer for at least 6 months (some other groups also qualify). Visitors do not qualify. There is no waiting period: if you are eligible, your coverage starts right away.","cost":"No fee to apply is listed. OHIP pays the full cost of medically necessary doctor visits. Renewing a health card is free.","tags":["OHIP","health card","ServiceOntario","health insurance","no waiting period","newcomer first steps","form 014-0265-82"],"topics":["health","newcomers"],"place":{"country":"Canada","region":"Ontario","city":null,"label":"Ontario-wide","cc":"CA","scope":"region"},"website":"https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","sources":["https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","https://www.ontario.ca/page/documents-needed-get-health-card","https://www.ontario.ca/page/what-ohip-covers","https://www.ontario.ca/page/health-card-renewal","https://www.ontario.ca/page/serviceontario","https://www.ontario.ca/locations/serviceontario","https://forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca/en/dataset/014-0265-82"],"checked":"2026-10-04","added":"2026-10-04","verified":"checked","checkEvery":90,"deadline":null,"deadlineNote":"Apply any time. There is no waiting period, so you can apply as soon as you arrive in Ontario. For a baby born in an Ontario hospital or with a registered midwife, the health card is mailed within 8 weeks after the Infant Registration form is sent in.","status":"listed","routes":[{"kind":"Apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre (search by postal code)","url":"https://www.ontario.ca/locations/serviceontario","value":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Application form","url":"https://forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca/en/dataset/014-0265-82","value":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Office phone","url":"https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","value":"1-866-532-3161 (ServiceOntario INFOline, toll-free) or 416-314-5518, TTY 1-800-387-5559","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},{"kind":"Office phone","url":null,"value":"1-866-532-3161","seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"}],"primaryRoute":{"kind":"Apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre (search by postal code)","url":"https://www.ontario.ca/locations/serviceontario","value":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"},"routeCount":4,"channels":[{"kind":"website","url":"https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","label":"Website","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","source":"their own site"}],"spaceCount":1,"spacesSeen":"2026-10-04","phone":"1-866-532-3161","contact":{"email":null,"url":"https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","route":"Apply in person at a ServiceOntario centre (search by postal code)"},"steps":["Fill out the Registration for Ontario Health Coverage form (014-0265-82).","Gather 3 separate documents from the official list (no photocopies): one original that proves your citizenship or OHIP-eligible immigration status (for example a PR card or work permit), one that proves you live in Ontario (for example a pay stub, bank statement or utility bill), and one original that proves your identity (for example a passport).","Take the form and your 3 documents to a ServiceOntario centre. Use the location finder to search by postal code.","If you are eligible, your coverage starts right away. Call ServiceOntario at 1-866-532-3161 if you have questions."],"languages":["English","French"],"welcomes":[],"reachNum":null,"reachUnit":null,"reachKind":"none","reachSource":null,"reachSeen":null,"intents":{"reach":false,"grow":null,"job":false,"volunteer":false,"specialist":null,"opps":false,"housing":false,"money":false,"info":false,"marriage":false},"stale":false,"staleDays":0,"checkedNote":"Facts read from the source pages on 2026-10-04; spaces read from their site on 2026-10-04; re-checked every 90 days.","spaces":[{"kind":"website","label":"Website","url":"https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card","reach":null,"unit":null,"seen":"2026-10-04","note":null}],"missing":["organization email (not published on their pages)","follower or subscriber counts (platform pages do not expose them to readers; ask the organization or check the platform)","what they welcome from outside parties (their pages do not say)","audience number for the organization as a whole (not public)"]}