Written by Dr. Dominic Moran, Settlement Advisor (Economic), Saint John Newcomers Center
Canada promises newcomers comprehensive free healthcare but is struggling to keep that promise in the middle of a historic expansion of immigration.
Unfortunately, the country’s health systems are in a profound crisis that will impact your immigration experience.
A hidden problem, only known to newcomers and those providing settlement support, is that shifts in status between immigration streams and extreme application processing delays are leading to gaps in Medicare (New Brunswick’s health care) coverage due to the expiry of temporary cards. My wife and I are amongst the thousands impacted, having lost coverage months ago as we await new cards.
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