Updating or Confirming Status in Canada

Citizenship, residency, and temporary immigration documentation may now be submitted online to HIBC using the MSP Account Change Request form, including the submission of supporting documentation.

The online form takes about 15 minutes to complete. No login or password is required: the Account Holder’s Personal Health Number (PHN) will be used to verify your account.

If you are covered under a group plan administered by your employer, union or pension office, please do not use this application. Contact your group plan administrator to complete a Group Change Request (PDF, 568KB).

To update or confirm status in Canada, you will be required to upload one or more of the following (depending on immigration status):

• Canadian Passport
• Permanent Resident Card (front and back)
• Work Permit
• Study Permit
• Visitor Permit
• Landed Immigration Documents
• Permit indicating Religious Worker
• Confirmation of your religious service from your religious order
• Foil from your diplomatic passport

Once the form has been submitted, a reference number will be displayed. Please allow 21 days for account change requests to be reviewed and processed. If your request is successful and no additional information is required, your account will be updated. You will receive a letter from HIBC if additional information is required.

• Please use one of these web browsers: Internet Explorer 11 or the latest version of Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Apple Safari.
• The data you enter will remain locally on the computer or device you are using until you close your browser window. If you close the window you are working in, all data will be lost. To complete this form, you must click the “Submit” button at the end of the process.
• If you use a screen reader or assistive device, please apply using a paper MSP Account Change form (PDF, 570KB).

Work and Study Permits

If you are in British Columbia under a Work or Study Permit and enrolled in the Medical Services Plan, your medical coverage will end when your Permit expires. If you are applying for a new Work or Study Permit and planning to stay in B.C., it is important that you apply for your new Permit as soon as possible to avoid a lapse in medical coverage and serve another wait period .

Effective May 1, 2022, eligible individuals residing in BC with maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit may be eligible for an initial six months to temporary coverage, with addition temporary coverage provided is applicable.

Temporary coverage will be provided to maintained status holders who:

• Remain in BC on maintained status while waiting for a subsequent work or study permit;
• Were previously enrolled with MSP;
• Individuals must demonstrate they hold maintained status by providing Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receipts showing they applied for their new permit before the expiration of their original permit (or documentation from IRCC if a receipt is not available); and,
• If the temporary coverage is requested four weeks or longer after the expiration of their original permit, the individual will also need to provide documentation from IRCC demonstrating their application is still active. This may be from the IRCC website or documentation from IRCC.

To request temporary coverage provide the requested documentation to www.gov.bc.ca/managingyourMSPaccount

Find a Service BC Centre

Service BC Centres are located throughout the province. The staff at these centres can help you with a variety of MSP issues.

If you have questions about supporting documentation or other questions about the MSP Account Change Request online form, please visit MSP Account Change FAQs.

Contact information

If you have questions about your MSP coverage while you wait for your work permit to be renewed, contact Health Insurance BC.