Moving to the NWT and your health coverage

Learn what happens to your health coverage when you move to the NWT. This page explains how your previous coverage transitions, when your NWT coverage can begin, and what you need to do after you arrive.

You are moving to the NWT if you intend to live here for more than a year and make the NWT your home.

If you have come to the NWT for term employment and do not intend to live here for more than a year:

• You usually do not need to apply for NWT health care coverage
• You can use the health care card from your home province or territory when you visit a doctor, hospital, or health centre in the NWT
• Your home province or territory will be billed directly for insured services

Check with your employer to see if you have medical travel benefits. 

If you do not, it is recommended that you obtain travel insurance in case you need emergency medical travel.

If you plan to stay in the NWT for more than one year and make it your home, you should apply for NWT coverage.

To qualify for NWT health care coverage you must:

• Be physically present in the NWT
• Intend to live in the NWT permanently
• Have a legal right to be in Canada
• Be able to prove your NWT residency

Your legal right to be in Canada is usually shown with documents such as:

• Proof you are a Canadian citizen
• Proof you are a permanent resident
• A valid work permit or study permit or other document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Proof you are a convention refugee or protected person

To prove NWT residency you generally need two documents that show:

• Your name
• Your current NWT home address

Examples include items such as a signed lease or rental agreement, rent receipt, letter from a landlord, a utility bill that is not a cell phone bill, a property tax form, an NWT income tax return, a letter from your employer or pay stub, or other government documents that show your name and home address.

If you intend to live in the NWT for more than a year but cannot get two documents, you should complete the Residency Statutory Declaration.

When you are ready to apply, go to Get an NWT health care card for the full checklist of accepted documents and steps.

If you move permanently to the NWT from another province or territory:

• Your home province or territory may continue to cover insured services for a short transition period
• Your NWT health care coverage usually starts on the first day of the third month after you arrive in the NWT, in most cases
• You must apply for your NWT health care card once you are living in the NWT and meet residency requirements

Portability rules help prevent gaps in medically necessary hospital and physician services while you move. If you have questions about when your coverage will start, contact the Health Services Administration Office.

If you move to the NWT from outside Canada:

• You must meet NWT residency requirements
• You must provide accepted documents that show your immigration or citizenship status
• Your eligibility and coverage start date depend on your residency, status in Canada, and NWT Health Care Plan Policy
• You must apply for your NWT health care card after you arrive in the NWT

If you are unsure about your eligibility or the documents you need, contact the Health Services Administration Office.

If you are:

• A member of the Canadian Armed Forces
• A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• A dependent of a member

Your health coverage may follow federal program rules as well as NWT rules. You may need to provide documents that confirm your status and where you normally live. Contact the Health Services Administration Office if you are not sure how your coverage works when you move to the NWT.

When you are ready to apply for your NWT health care card, you may need:

• Documents that show your legal right to be in Canada
• Two documents that show your NWT home address
• Any immigration or citizenship documents relevant to your situation
• Any other information listed on the application form

Go to Get an NWT health care card for the full list of accepted documents, the application form, and the steps to apply.