New Brunswick Medicare may cover a newcomer from outside Canada “from their first day of arrival in the province,” if the Director finds they have established permanent residence, according to the province’s applying-for-a-card page. Someone moving from another province waits until the first day of the third month, a wait “legislated under New Brunswick’s Medical Services Payment Act.” Coverage is confirmed only by a letter stating the start date.
Who waits, and for how long?
| Situation | Coverage start | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Newcomer or returning Canadian from outside Canada | May be from first day of arrival | Must be deemed to have established permanent residence; rule in force since 17 June 2010 |
| Moving from another province or territory | First day of the third month following the month of residence | Legislated 3-month wait; old province covers meanwhile |
| Canadian Armed Forces spouse or dependant from another province | First day | Wait waived |
| International student | On meeting criteria | Full-time, study permit, document covering September to April |
| Student from another province | Not eligible | Stays on home plan |
| Visitor, tourist, super visa holder | Not eligible | Visitor plan for whole stay |
The province’s example for inter-provincial movers is a 20 July move with coverage from 1 October. It advises contacting your former province to keep “continuous coverage during the three month waiting period.”
What does “first day of arrival” depend on?
On being “deemed by the Director to have established a permanent residence in New Brunswick.” Medicare must be satisfied that the newcomer “does not have or does not intend to maintain permanent resident status in any other country.” Applicants provide a photocopy of the immigration document that allowed them to live, work or study abroad, and choose one of two options.
| Option | What you provide |
|---|---|
| A | An official document relinquishing the foreign status, such as US Form I-407 |
| B | An annual CBSA Travel History Report showing you met New Brunswick residency requirements over the previous 12 months |
Option B means some newcomers are covered only after a year of records; Option A means giving up the other status. Applications “are assessed on an individual basis and other documents and information may be requested.” For most newcomers the practical gap is the weeks between landing and the eligibility letter.
Work permit holders and families
The eligibility page does not set out a work permit rule. It covers anyone “legally entitled to remain in Canada” who makes their permanent and principal home in New Brunswick and is ordinarily present there, excluding tourists, transients and visitors. The applying page adds that a graduate student employed by their institution under a post-graduate permit “may be eligible under their work permit,” and that a student who obtains a different permit must submit it for consideration.
Each family member is assessed on their own status. Confirm the start date for each in writing before cancelling private cover for anyone.
What should a New Brunswick newcomer buy?
A visitors-to-Canada emergency medical plan from the landing date to the date on the Medicare letter plus two weeks. Because coverage can begin from arrival, an eligible newcomer may be able to cancel early for a pro-rata refund, less the carrier’s fee, if there has been no claim. GMS and TuGo waive their illness waiting period for policies bought before arrival.
Monthly premium, $100,000 coverage, 30-day basis, rates seen Oct 2026 — verify at quote time.
| Age | Without pre-existing cover | With stable pre-existing cover |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | $69.00 | $92.70 |
| 35 | $82.50 | $100.20 |
| 45 | $100.50 | $115.50 |
| 65 | $116.10 | $168.60 |
Source: PolicyAdvisor 2026 table. Buy at least one month for a newcomer from abroad and three months for anyone whose old-province coverage will not line up.
Documents to assemble
Proof of Canadian citizenship, or copies of Canadian immigration records and passport entry stamps; proof of identity; and proof of New Brunswick residency. Students add the passport with the last entry stamp and proof of enrolment. The province notes that “not all Canadian Immigration documents are acceptable,” so a newcomer on an unusual permit should ask Medicare before relying on first-day coverage.
SuperVisaDirect is operated by Super Visa Direct Insurance Services, an independent Ontario life and accident-and-sickness insurance agency licensed by FSRA (licence [FSRA-LICENCE]), serving Ontario residents. New Brunswick is not currently served; newcomers there can buy from the carriers above directly. See the pre-arrival checklist for the order of steps and insurance for new PR families for the landing-week plan.
Questions people ask
Is there a Medicare waiting period if I arrive in New Brunswick from outside Canada?
Not necessarily. The province says newcomers and Canadian citizens arriving from outside Canada may be entitled to coverage from their first day of arrival, if they meet the eligibility rules and are deemed by the Director to have established a permanent residence. The rule has applied since 17 June 2010. The gap is processing and document assembly.
What is the wait for someone moving from another province?
Coverage may begin on the first day of the third month following the month you establish residence. The province's example is a 20 July move with coverage from 1 October. The three-month wait is legislated under the Medical Services Payment Act and is waived for Canadian Armed Forces spouses and dependants.
How do I know my start date?
Once eligibility is established you receive a letter with the actual start date, followed by the Medicare card. The province says coverage is not confirmed by the application alone, so do not cancel private cover on the strength of having applied.
What must newcomers from abroad prove?
That they do not have, and do not intend to keep, permanent resident status in another country. You provide a copy of the immigration document that let you live abroad and choose one option: relinquish the foreign status with an official document such as US Form I-407, or provide an annual CBSA Travel History Report showing you met the residency requirements.
Can international students get New Brunswick Medicare?
Yes if they meet the criteria: a valid IRCC study permit, proof of full-time enrolment in New Brunswick and an immigration document covering the full scholastic year, at least September to April. Part-time and exchange students are not eligible, and students from other provinces stay on their home plan.
Does SuperVisaDirect sell bridge plans in New Brunswick?
No. Super Visa Direct Insurance Services is licensed in Ontario and serves Ontario residents; New Brunswick is not currently served. A Fredericton or Moncton newcomer can buy a visitors-to-Canada plan from GMS, TuGo, Allianz or Manulife directly, before the flight, to cover the processing gap.
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