Help with health insurance, bank switching, and shipping?

[Meikyuu]

I'm finding it very hard to research these things online. I'm probably just not using the right key words or misunderstanding something, but I can't think how else to do it. It also feels more reassuring and straightforward to have people who've already been through it give their guidance so I hope you guys don't mind. I really appreciate all the advice I get!

What I'm trying to look at that's most important right now is health insurance. My SO is applying for a working holiday visa from Australia to Canada, which could let him stay up to 2 years, but once his plane lands here they decide how long he stays based on how much health insurance he has. I'm really clueless when it comes to insurance but I've found one place via WorldNomads that gives a maximum of 18 months -- much better than the 6-12 months of the others I've seen -- but I don't actually know the details and if that plan is a good fit. That would also cost about $1,600. Is this just the kind of price that comes with insurance or is it overpaying? Does anyone know better insurers, or ones that give you a longer plan? I'd really prefer one that lets him have at least 13+ months since I'm planning to sponsor him to stay here after, but for the family sponsorship we need to either be married or live together common-law for 12 months. We'll get married if we have to, but I'm a bit of a romantic and would rather wait until we can buy nice clothes and have both our families together if at all possible.

Similarly, is it hard for an immigrant to get Canadian (Ontario) health insurance? Does OHIP even allow that? I haven't looked into this yet but thought it couldn't hurt to throw it in since I'm already asking...

I'm also curious what people do about their bank accounts and the money in them when you move to another country. Scotiabank here is affiliated with (or whatever you'd call it) the Australian bank he uses, so would it be best to just get a Scotia account once he's here and transfer the money? Or is it no different if you open an account at a different bank? Is it complicated to transfer the money, what would you need?

Finally, instead of bumping my old thread I thought I'd just add in here the more specific question of -- how do you locate container shipping services? Just ask the post office if they provide it or know of a company? About how much did you have to pay, if you used it?

[ThePiedPiper]

I never went through with the working holiday I had been planning on, but some of the things I found out were as follows:

- Health insurance really is that costly. That's actually a lot cheaper than the plans I could find that were being offered. I was required to have health insurance for the duration of my stay, however, so to get 6+ months, I'd have had to rely on my own (travel agents only offered insurance up through 6 months) and I found basic plans for maybe $1,500-$2,000 for 12 months. The coverage was minimal but it would have been health insurance.

- I don't believe you can get health insurance specific to the country you're in without being a citizen of that country. Working holiday =/= citizenship. I know for me, I wouldn't have qualified for any of Ireland's health care, despite living there for a year. It would have all come down to paying privately or working with what health insurance I had.

- I'm not sure about the bank account as far as Scotiabank, but I know the working holiday visa required me to open my own bank account in Ireland. Can't remember if I was supposed to do that before or after entering the country, however, though probably shortly after. I was not allowed to work and have money deposited into my bank in the U.S. Living in Ireland, I would be subject to their laws regarding finances and so on and so I was expected to open a bank account there. The fact that Scotiabank is affiliated with his bank might be something, but I would suggest he go in and actually talk with his bank if that's the case.

This was from the U.S. to Ireland and every country is so damn different and has their own variations on agreements. I would say the clearest place it's going to be outlined is on the official Canadian website for it, though.

[MadMolly]

I'm doing an Australian working-holiday visa to Canada too. Leaving in June! To help your questions:

Yep, health insurance does cost that much, and WorldNomads is probably the best you'll find (hint: use "aussie3" in the coupon code and get a little discount). I'm going to be buying 9 months or so's worth, because everyone I've spoken to who's done this has never got their visa reduced (even though that's what they say). If they ask why I don't have the full amount, I'm going to say I plan to either get health insurance through a job or, as a resident of the province for a certain time, I think I can get healthcare anyway. This differs by province though so check it out for Ontario. If they don't let me in for the whole visa, oh well, I'll just apply for another before my 9~ months is up!

And yep, you got it right with the bank account stuff. Tell him he should tell his bank about the move and they'll give him all the advice he needs.

Also, this site is a bloody lifesaver: www.canaussie.com

Hope it goes well!!

[snow_girl]

For health insurance, you can always get a large chunk of it but if he then starts working and is eligible for free healthcare he can always cancel the remainder for a partial refund.

I'm slightly confused why he would move all his banking and need containers for a short term work visa? I have been in the UK for two years and left my banking where it is at home and only brought a suitcase with me because I know I"m going to have to take it all back with me when my visa is it.

[kteire]

I'm slightly confused why he would move all his banking and need containers for a short term work visa? I have been in the UK for two years and left my banking where it is at home and only brought a suitcase with me because I know I"m going to have to take it all back with me when my visa is it.

This! I've moved around a bit overseas, and I've never brought more than a suit case or two. Most things are replaceable, or will be waiting for you at home; particularly if you need to leave the country after a working holiday to get a permanent visa!

As far as insurance goes, I paid $400CAD for a year's worth of health insurance before moving to Ireland and the UK. Is your SO going through SWAP or on his own? I bought insurance through them and it was easy and covered a great deal. There are also different rates that companies offer usually for travel including or not including the States (and I've found this to be the default), and I've saved a good bit of money by saying I'm not travelling there.

[mllebamako]

I don't know anything specifically about Canada but just wanted to add that my international health insurance is around $600-700 for the year. It has a super high deductible meaning I would only use it if I was in an accident or got really really sick.

As for banking, I've done it both ways. My first time living in France and in Senegal, I just used my American bank. I had to pay ATM fees everytime I took out money but it wasn't a huge deal. 2nd time living in France and now living in Mali, I got a new bank account in that country. It is necessary here in Mali because my work will only do direct deposit, so I needed a Malian bank account. But I have also lived here for 3 years so it makes sense that I have an account here. If he is staying there for 2 years, it may be worth it.

And for the container question- you can just google shipping companies. But I agree with the other posters, I've always moved abroad with my 2 suitcases!

[MadMolly]

This! I've moved around a bit overseas, and I've never brought more than a suit case or two. Most things are replaceable, or will be waiting for you at home; particularly if you need to leave the country after a working holiday to get a permanent visa!

As far as insurance goes, I paid $400CAD for a year's worth of health insurance before moving to Ireland and the UK. Is your SO going through SWAP or on his own? I bought insurance through them and it was easy and covered a great deal. There are also different rates that companies offer usually for travel including or not including the States (and I've found this to be the default), and I've saved a good bit of money by saying I'm not travelling there.

I think SWAP is only for Canadians. Australia only really has working holiday packages for those who want to work on the ski fields or hospitality industries. From what I can see, anyway.

[Meikyuu]

I'm slightly confused why he would move all his banking and need containers for a short term work visa? I have been in the UK for two years and left my banking where it is at home and only brought a suitcase with me because I know I"m going to have to take it all back with me when my visa is it.

The working holiday is basically just to get him here, then we can marry/live common-law for 12 months and I can sponsor him to stay forever. So he'd kind of need his money and belongings, haha. I just didn't think it was a great idea to keep using his Australian bank account for years, and if Canadian employers would even like that.

[kteire]

I think SWAP is only for Canadians. Australia only really has working holiday packages for those who want to work on the ski fields or hospitality industries. From what I can see, anyway.

SWAP handles all incoming people on working holiday programmes, so people from other countries deal with them when they come to Canada, not just Canadians leaving Canada! I've had a few Irish and Aussie friends who went through them, including my SO before I met him So if you go through Work n Holiday you are really going through SWAP on the Canadian end.

[digitalfever]

The working holiday is basically just to get him here, then we can marry/live common-law for 12 months and I can sponsor him to stay forever. So he'd kind of need his money and belongings, haha. I just didn't think it was a great idea to keep using his Australian bank account for years, and if Canadian employers would even like that.

Not alarm you but if he starts bringing over containers that will be seen as a red flag since your not supposed to "settle" in Canada on the working holiday visa.

[Tooki]

In regards to banking, he can easily keep his Australian account. He can still access Internet Banking while overseas and move money around that way.

I also echo what digitalfever said in regards to shipping containers over. Is it possible for him to store some of this possessions locally and get them shipped over once you have gotten the common-law visa?

[kteire]

Not alarm you but if he starts bringing over containers that will be seen as a red flag since your not supposed to "settle" in Canada on the working holiday visa.

Agreed, I didn't even think of that.

And as I mentioned before, he will probably have to go back to Australia to change visa types anyway. I know you can usually change easily enough between the working holiday visa and work or study visas in Canada, but the government has complete say over individual situations of changing to a spousal settlement permit. Might be something to consider with regards to shipping - and with multiple trips he could maybe just pay a bit extra for another suitcase or something?

[MadMolly]

How old is he? Because you can renew the visa as many times as you like before you turn 31, so you don't need to worry too much about getting a spousal visa until he can't renew the WH visa again. He can stay in Canada while he applies for a new WH visa and just cross the border to renew it.

And as for belongings - I'd just tell him to sell everything! I'm selling/getting rid of everything I own since I can't leave anything with my parents (who are both moving countries too) and I don't want to pay for storage. Just going to reduce my life to a suitcase. MUCH cheaper to buy new living items in Canada than it will be to ship stuff over.

[digitalfever]

Agreed, I didn't even think of that.

And as I mentioned before, he will probably have to go back to Australia to change visa types anyway. I know you can usually change easily enough between the working holiday visa and work or study visas in Canada, but the government has complete say over individual situations of changing to a spousal settlement permit. Might be something to consider with regards to shipping - and with multiple trips he could maybe just pay a bit extra for another suitcase or something?

I really think that if he wants to settle eventually he should pack his stuff and have someone send his belongings to him after. If he starts sending over containers they may just tell him to leave and then there goes the plan of ever settling in Canada permanently.