Yes, you can lose your Canadian provincial healthcare if you leave for an extended period, as coverage requires residency and a minimum presence, typically at least 5-7 months per year depending on the province. While short trips are covered, long-term absences or permanent moves usually terminate coverage, requiring you to re-qualify upon return.
In actual fact, you can be absent from Canada as long as you want. The Canadian government recognizes that citizens may travel extensively, work or study abroad. You will always maintain your Canadian citizenship. What absentia may affect is your Canadian health care coverage and income tax.
Maintaining provincial health coverage (if applicable)
If you plan to live abroad part-time and keep your provincial or territorial health plan, most jurisdictions require that you be physically present in your home province for at least 182 days per calendar year.
To remain eligible for your Canadian provincial/territorial government health insurance, you cannot travel outside your province/territory of residence for a total of more than 7 months (212 days) within a year, or 6 months (183 days) if you live in Quebec, PEI or Nunavut.
Moving to another province or territory
You will continue to be covered by your home province or territory for 3 months. Provided you have registered in the new province or territory, coverage will begin after this period.
Prepare to Pay for Previously Free Services
As a Canadian expat living, working or traveling overseas, you will not have access to many government-funded healthcare services. Therefore, you need extra health care insurance to bridge the gap.
The 90-day rule in health insurance, established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), sets a maximum 90-day waiting period before an otherwise eligible employee's group health coverage must begin. This rule prevents long "probationary periods" for benefits and ensures fairness, applying to both fully insured and self-funded plans, though employers can offer coverage sooner or not at all, as long as the wait doesn't exceed this federal limit.
Canada's 183-day rule is a key factor in determining tax residency: if you stay in Canada for 183 days or more in a calendar year, you're generally considered a resident for tax purposes for that entire year (a "deemed resident"), even if you don't have strong ties, subjecting your worldwide income to Canadian tax. However, this rule works alongside Canada's complex residency tests and tax treaties, meaning you might become a resident sooner with significant ties (like family or property) or avoid it if a treaty designates you a resident of another country.
Because CPP is a "member-contributed plan" it will always be yours, regardless of where you live in the world. If you paid in at least 1 CPP contribution, you are entitled to a benefit. OAS, on the other hand, comes out of the general tax revenues.
If you're visiting Canada, you won't be covered by provincial or territorial healthcare. You can still access care in hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies but must pay for it. Therefore, it is essential to have travel medical coverage to help with healthcare costs.
The "28-year rule" in Canada refers to a past requirement under the Citizenship Act where second-generation Canadians (born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born abroad) automatically lost their citizenship on their 28th birthday unless they applied to retain it by demonstrating a substantial connection to Canada (like living in Canada for a year). This rule affected many "Lost Canadians," but recent legislation (like Bill C-3) introduced in 2024/2025 aims to eliminate this requirement and restore citizenship for many affected individuals, making citizenship by descent more permanent.
Canada has a universal health care system funded through taxes. This means that any Canadian citizen or permanent resident can apply for public health insurance.
Canada consistently ranks among the countries with the longest healthcare wait times for various services, especially for specialists and elective surgeries, with reports showing very long waits (months) for certain treatments, though data varies by report and specific procedure, with some studies highlighting it has the longest waits for specialists and elective procedures among comparable nations like the US or UK, while the UK and New Zealand also experience significant delays.
Leaving or returning to Canada
Your Old Age Security (and Guaranteed Income Supplement) may stop if you're away for more than 6 months and don't qualify for receiving your payments while outside Canada.
You can lose citizenship through voluntary renunciation, such as by applying for citizenship in another country with intent to give up your current one; through involuntary denaturalization, often due to fraud in the naturalization process or joining certain prohibited groups; or by committing acts like treason or serving in a foreign military at war with your country.
What Are the Easiest Countries to Move to From Canada?
Belize can be one of the cheapest places to retire in the world. The area around Ambergris Caye can be expensive, but the rest of the country is a bargain. Real estate and daily living prices here will enable you to enjoy the good life at a very affordable price.
It's important that you tell the CRA the date you leave Canada. Generally, as a non-resident, you are not eligible to receive: the GST/HST credit. the Canada child benefit (CCB) (including those payments from certain related provincial or territorial programs)
Services Australia outlines the following: If you're overseas for up to 6 weeks — Generally, your pension payments will continue as normal if you're travelling for less than 6 weeks. If you're overseas for more than 6 weeks — Once you reach 6 weeks, your pension supplement will drop to the basic rate.
You may leave Canada for more than 6 months, as long you meet the residency requirements stated above. However, it is recommended that you wait to do so until you have your Permanent Resident (PR) Card. Your PR Card is your proof of residency in Canada.
Canadians travelling extensively, living or working abroad may still have to pay Canadian and provincial or territorial income taxes.
Part 2: Staying in the Schengen Area Past 90 Days
Seventy two hours Clause:
Each loss by windstorm shall constitute a single claim hereunder; provided, if more than one windstorm shall occur within any period of seventy-two (72) hours during the term of this Policy such windstorm shall be deemed to be a single windstorm within the meaning thereof.