Coverage wait period for the Medical Services Plan (MSP)
Last updated on June 4, 2026Learn about the wait period before Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage starts. This page is for new and returning residents of British Columbia.
On this page
- When MSP coverage starts
- Apply as soon as you arrive
- If your family arrives on different dates
- Coverage during the wait period
- Emergency medical care before MSP starts
- Exemptions for Canadian Armed Forces
- Ask for a wait period waiver
When MSP coverage starts
New and returning residents must complete a wait period before they are covered by B.C.'s Medical Services Plan (MSP).
The wait period is:
- The rest of the month you become a resident of British Columbia
- Plus two more months
The Ministry of Health decides the date you become a resident for MSP purposes. This date depends on several factors, including your immigration status.
For some people, the wait period does not start when they arrive. It may start later.
For example, you may arrive as a tourist or visitor. Later, your immigration status may change in Canada. If that status qualifies you for MSP, your wait period starts from that later date.
Apply as soon as you arrive
Apply for MSP coverage as soon as you arrive in B.C.
Do not wait until the end of your wait period.
Applying early gives us time to process your application.
If your family arrives on different dates
Each person has their own wait period.
For example, this applies when:
- A family moves to B.C. from another Canadian province or territory, and
- The applicant and spouse and/or children arrive on different dates
Each wait period is based on that person’s arrival date in B.C.
You can add family members to your MSP account after they arrive.
Family members who have not arrived yet may stay covered by their former province or territory.
Coverage during the wait period
If you move from another part of Canada, keep your former health plan during the wait period.
If you arrive from outside Canada, contact a private insurance company. You should arrange health insurance before you arrive. Most private insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions, including pregnancy.
Keep that insurance until your MSP coverage starts.
Emergency medical care before MSP starts
You can receive needed medical and hospital care in B.C. before MSP starts.
You must pay the full cost unless you have other health insurance. These costs can be very high.
Wait period exemptions for Canadian Armed Forces
Discharged Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members do not need to complete the wait period.
This exemption also applies to:
- Spouses of CAF members
- Children of CAF members
For more information, visit gov.bc.ca/MSP/CAF.
Ask for a wait period waiver
The wait period helps protect B.C.’s health care plans. It reduces the chance that people move to B.C. only to receive publicly funded health care.
You can ask for a review if you received, or will need, health care during the wait period.
- Waivers are only approved in the most serious and exceptional cases
- This waiver process is for people who are residents in B.C.
- You must be found eligible for MSP before you apply for a waiver
What we consider in a waiver request
When we review your request, we consider several factors.
These may include whether:
- Health Insurance BC made a verifiable error when setting your MSP start date
- Your medical condition was diagnosed during the wait period
- Your medical condition is serious
- You could access needed health care during the wait period
- You had private insurance during the wait period
- You could have obtained private insurance during the wait period
Your health care costs during the wait period must have been financially devastating.
The waiver process is not meant to solve coverage limits from other provinces or territories. It is also not a way to get early access to other B.C. health care programs.
How to request a waiver review
- Complete the waiver request form
- Sign the form
- Attach all required documents
- Mail or fax the application:
- Mail:
​Director, Beneficiary Services Branch
Ministry of Health
PO Box 9649 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, B.C. V8W 9P4 - Fax: 250-952-3268
- Mail:
Contact information
If you have questions about your eligibility or the eligibility of your dependent(s) or how to enrol in MSP, contact Health Insurance BC for assistance.