Settling in Nova Scotia

The public plan is now called the Nova Scotia Health Insurance Program (MSI Resident Services still handles registration, and the old address novascotia.ca/dhw/msi/ redirects to this page), and you need a Nova Scotia Health Card to use it.

Residents qualify if they are legally entitled to remain in Canada, make their primary home in Nova Scotia, are physically present at least 183 days a year, and are not tourists, transients or visitors.

Work permit holders qualify if the permit is for 12 months or more.

Holders of a Nova Scotia employment contract of 12 months or more also qualify.

International students qualify if their study permit is for 12 months or more.

A non-Canadian spouse or common-law partner of a citizen or permanent resident qualifies with proof of a permanent residence application to IRCC and a marriage certificate or IRCC common-law declaration.

Protected persons, people in Nova Scotia on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, and Convention refugees qualify once they have proof of a permanent residence application.

Tourists, transients and visitors are not eligible.

Each covered family member (a spouse or common-law partner and dependants aged 18 or under) must be legally entitled to remain in Canada.

Citizens and permanent residents moving from outside Canada are usually covered from the date they become residents: no waiting period.

People moving from another province or territory usually wait until the first day of the third month after they become residents (for example, residence from September 27 means coverage from December 1).

People moving from within Canada must contact their previous province or territory to stay covered until Nova Scotia coverage starts.

Eligible workers (a permit or contract of 12 months or more) are covered from the day they become residents or the issue date of their immigration document, whichever is later, and must sign a Declaration.

International students with a study permit valid for at least 12 months wait until the first day of the 13th month after arrival (or after the study permit date, if later).

Students can apply up to 90 days before they become eligible.

Students employed as teaching or research assistants at a Nova Scotia university have no waiting period.

Protected persons and Convention refugees with proof of a permanent residence application are usually covered from the day they submit that application.

The province advises workers and students to get medical travel insurance when they travel.

To apply, fill in the Registration for Health Services Form and the online contact form; MSI Resident Services then emails a link for uploading the form and documents.

The upload link must be used within 24 hours.

You can also mail or fax the paper form, or leave it in MSI Resident Services' secure drop box; there is no in-person service.

There is no fee to apply for (or renew) a Health Card.

The card should arrive by mail in about 4 weeks.

Applicants must be 16 or older to apply for themselves or their family.

You need proof that you are legally entitled to remain in Canada and proof of your current civic address.

Accepted status documents include a permanent resident card or confirmation document, and an IRCC work or study permit valid for at least 12 months.

Accepted address documents include a lease signed by the landlord and the tenant, a recent utility bill, or a bank statement.

The province's immigration site says newcomers can also buy private health insurance, and that many employers offer extra coverage.

A new resident with a valid licence may drive for up to 180 days, then must exchange it for a Nova Scotia licence.

The 180 days run from the day you become a resident.

The listed countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, each with a minimum licence class.

A listed-country licence is surrendered when it is exchanged.

Drivers from other provinces and US states can usually exchange for the same class without testing.

A licence not in English or French needs a certified translation, and an International Driving Permit is not accepted as one.

Exchanges are done in person at an Access Nova Scotia or Registry of Motor Vehicles office.

College and university students must also exchange within 180 days of moving.

The province's newcomer family guide says public school is free.

Nova Scotia has seven English-language Regional Centres for Education and one French-first-language board, the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP).

Register your child by contacting your local school in person, by phone or by email, or through the school's online form.

Proof of the child's immigration status can be a confirmation of permanent residence, a permanent resident card, a work permit, a study permit, a temporary resident permit or a Refugee Protection Claimant Document.

Families also need proof of age, proof of address (a driver's licence is not accepted for this), immunization records, health insurance and, if possible, earlier school records.

For help registering, families can contact their RCE or the CSAP, YMCA School Settlement (Halifax), YREACH (outside Halifax) or Immigration Francophone.

Example board (Halifax Regional Centre for Education, HRCE): children of a parent with a valid work permit or study permit for Nova Scotia pay no tuition while the parent's permit lasts.

HRCE: children of permanent residents, refugees and Convention refugees also pay no tuition.

HRCE: other international students, including children who come to live with a relative or friend, pay tuition.

HRCE: fee-paying tuition is $10,000 per school year.

HRCE: all international students need current health insurance from a Canadian provider before they can attend.

HRCE: families registering on a parent's permit provide a copy of the permit and proof of relationship to the child.

HRCE: registration is done online through PowerSchool Enrollment.

HRCE: for a fee, the board can issue a Letter of Acceptance based on the parent's immigration documents, for students not yet in the country or whose parents' permits are still being processed.

HRCE: its Newcomer Welcome Centre helps newcomers register children, by appointment, once the family is living in Halifax.

HRCE: the Newcomer Welcome Centre serves temporary permit holders, permanent residents and asylum seekers or refugee claimants.

Its settlement services page describes wrap-around support to help immigrants and their families settle.

Settlement services are free, available across the province, in person or online, and in English or French.

Pre-arrival services are available before you move.

The page lists providers by region, including the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) in Halifax for settlement, job readiness and language training.

YMCA's YREACH program serves families outside Halifax.

A "How to Get Settled" page covers first steps such as documents, money and taxes, language learning, housing, health care, child care, education, transportation and legal services (some of its wording is older: it still calls the plan "MSI" and points to the "Access Nova Scotia website" for tenancies).