Healthcare

Adequate medical coverage (which includes in-hospital and out-patient services) is a condition for postdoctoral registration at McGill, and proof of such insurance is one of the materials required to register as a Postdoctoral Fellow/Scholar/Researcher or Postdoctoral Research Trainee.

If you are a Postdoctoral Researcher, please refer to McGill Human Resources for information on Quebec Health Insurance (RAMQ), health and dental insurance, provincial plan replacement coverage, and more. 

If you are a Postdoctoral Fellow or a Postdoctoral Scholar please refer to the information below.

Ensuring adequate coverage

Quebec Health Insurance is a government-sponsored health care plan provided to all those who hold a valid Quebec Health Insurance card. If you are coming to Quebec from another province or country, you will need to determine whether you qualify for Quebec health insurance and, if so, apply. 

While Quebec health insurance covers physicians’ charges and hospitalization costs, it doesn't extend to many other items, like drug prescription costs. Extended health coverage is mandatory for all of those covered by Quebec Health Insurance.  All McGill Postdoctoral Fellows and Scholars are automatically signed up for Extended Health and Dental Insurance through the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS). Postdoctoral Research Trainees are not eligible for PGSS membership and will need to secure extended health coverage from a private provider, such as RSA. 

NOTE: Registration in the PGSS health and dental plan is available to postdoctoral Fellows/Scholars who are registered at the beginning of the Fall term (September) and the beginning of the Winter term (January). Postdoctoral Fellows/Scholars who are registered after the beginning of the Fall or Winter terms are not able to enroll in the PGSS health and dental plan until the next term. It is recommended that these Postdoctoral Fellows/Scholars obtain a private medical plan to cover them until they are able to enroll in the PGSS health and dental plan.

Non-resident International Postdocs and Canadian postdocs returning to Quebec after 183 days out of Canada

Non-resident international postdocs and Canadian postdocs returning to Quebec after 183 days out of the country will be required to apply for Health Insurance upon arrival in Quebec. Access to Quebec Health Insurance begins after a 3-month waiting period from the time of application. Note that only postdocs who hold a valid work permit for a period of at least 6 months qualify for Quebec Health Insurance. If your work permit is valid for less than 6 month, you will need to obtain temporary medical coverage for the entirety of your time at McGill.

As a result of reciprocal agreements signed between the Government of Quebec and Denmark, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral research trainees from these countries will not/may not be subject to the three-month waiting period. These individuals will be asked to provide proof of health insurance coverage in their home country at the time of filing their application for Quebec Health Insurance.

Postdocs coming to Quebec from another Canadian province

Postdocs and postdoctoral research trainees coming to Quebec from another Canadian province should consult the health plan website of their home province prior to coming to Montreal. Periods of coverage vary by province, and often depend on the intended length of stay in Quebec. Postdocs must confirm that they are covered at all times while attending McGill. If your home province's health plan does not cover your entire stay in Quebec, you will need to apply for Quebec Health Insurance. Depending on how long you have been in Quebec, a 3-month waiting period may apply. Should your home province's health plan not cover you during this waiting period, you will need to obtain temporary medical coverage until Quebec Health Insurance takes effect. 

Temporary medical coverage

It is your responsibility to ensure you have health insurance coverage for the entirety of your time as a postdoc at McGill. International postdocs coming to Canada for the first time and Canadian postdocs who don't have coverage under another provincial health insurance plan (e.g. if they were absent from Canada for more than 183 days prior to coming to Quebec) will need to wait 3-months for their health insurance coverage to begin after applying for Quebec Health Insurance. If your work permit is valid for less than 6 months, you will not be eligible for Quebec Health Insurance. 

If you are not covered by another health insurance program, temporary emergency medical coverage can be purchased from a private insurer, such as RSA. If you would like to use RSA as your insurer, apply on-line via their website using the English RSA application form or the French RSA application form. The rate schedule for single and family coverage can be found by clicking on the "View rate schedule" button in the form. The payment mode is provided at the bottom of the form.

Mandatory Extended Health and Dental Insurance

All registered Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Scholars and non-unionized Postdoctoral Researchers are mandatory members of the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS). Postdoctoral Research Trainees and unionized Postdoctoral Researchers are not eligible for PGSS membership, and must secure extended health coverage from a private provider. The Extended Health and Dental Insurance available through PGSS helps to pay for services not covered by the Quebec Health Insurance plan. Postdocs who are PGSS members will be automatically billed for plan fees (if registration occurs before September 30th for the upcoming academic year) and for PGSS society fees for Fall and Winter semesters.  

CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (and other funding agencies) may cover the cost of health and dental insurance and, in this event, budgets for new grant proposals may/should include them when appropriate. The mandatory Extended Health and Dental Insurance may be paid from the postdoc's supervisor’s federal Tri-Council grants (single coverage) when possible.

Change-of-Coverage Period

The Change-of-Coverage Period is the period at the beginning of the semester when you can opt out, self-enroll or enroll your spouse and/or dependents in the PGSS Health & Dental Plan.  For more information, please refer to the Change-of-Coverage section of the Student Care website.

Prescription Drug Coverage

Please refer to guidelines set by the Quebec Health Insurance Program (RAMQ) with regards to prescription drug coverage.