Quebec health care runs on three connected pieces. The Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) administers the Quebec Health Insurance Plan and issues your Quebec health card. Santé Québec, the Crown corporation that took operational responsibility for the network on December 1, 2024, runs the hospitals, CLSCs, and CHSLDs that actually deliver care. The Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, also administered by RAMQ, covers the prescriptions filled at your community pharmacy when you do not have access to a private group plan. To use the system as a newcomer, you register online with RAMQ on or around the day you land, you serve a waiting period of up to three months unless you are exempt, and you carry private bridge insurance to cover what you would otherwise pay out of pocket. This guide walks through every step using current 2026 rules, sourced directly from RAMQ, the Government of Quebec, and Santé Québec.
Quick Answer: How to Get a Quebec Health Card and Use RAMQ in 2026
- Step 1. Open the RAMQ online registration portal for newcomers. Each adult fills out their own Adult form. Children are added with the Child form by a parent.
- Step 2. Upload digital copies of your passport, your immigration documents (Confirmation of Permanent Residence, PR card, work permit, study permit, refugee or protected-person papers, Certificat de sélection du Québec where applicable), and proof of your Quebec address. If you come from one of the eleven social security agreement countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Sweden), upload the certificate of coverage you obtained from your home country before departure.
- Step 3. Submit and wait. RAMQ sends an acknowledgement email with a reference number and the current processing time. The Quebec health card is mailed to your Quebec address roughly two weeks after coverage becomes active.
- Who is eligible: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees and protected persons, Indigenous persons with Indian status, holders of a federal work permit valid for at least six months who work for a Quebec employer, study and research permit holders from social security agreement countries, and the spouses and dependent children of eligible adults. Each person must make Quebec their main residence and be present in the province at least 183 days per calendar year.
- What it costs: $0 to register and $0 in monthly premiums for the Quebec Health Insurance Plan. The Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan is separate and is paid through your annual income tax return at $0 to $766 per adult based on net family income.
- In-person help (no home internet): RAMQ counters at Place Desjardins, 425 boul. de Maisonneuve Ouest, 3rd floor, Montreal and at 1125 Grande Allée Ouest, Quebec City. Phone 514-864-3411 in Montreal, 418-646-4636 in Quebec City, or 1-800-561-9749 toll-free, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- During the wait: carry a 90-day newcomer-to-Canada private policy. A healthy adult under 50 pays $70 to $200 per month for $100,000 to $1 million of bridge coverage from Manulife, Sun Life, Allianz, GMS, Tugo, or Quebec Blue Cross.
For the broader Canadian system context, see our companion guide on how healthcare works in Canada. For the cross-province bridge-insurance walkthrough, see health insurance for new immigrants.
RAMQ, Santé Québec, and the Quebec Health Insurance Plan: Who Does What in Quebec Health Care
Most newcomers Google “Quebec health care” and find three names that all describe pieces of the same system. Here is the clean version, current to 2026.
- Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) is the public insurer. It enrols every eligible Quebec resident in the Quebec Health Insurance Plan, issues the Quebec health card, administers the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, pays physicians and pharmacists, and runs the eligibility, registration, and renewal channels. RAMQ is the agency you talk to when something goes wrong with your card.
- Santé Québec is the Crown corporation created on April 29, 2024 by the Quebec government and made operational on December 1, 2024 under Bill 15. Santé Québec is now the sole employer of roughly 330,000 health care workers and is responsible for the operations of about 1,500 institutions: hospitals, CLSCs (centres locaux de services communautaires), CHSLDs (long-term care centres), GMFs (groupes de médecine de famille), and youth and rehabilitation centres across the province. It absorbed the former CISSS and CIUSSS regional networks. Four Northern and Indigenous institutions stayed outside the merger and continue to operate independently: the Inuulitsivik Health Centre, the Ungava Tulattavik Health Centre, the CLSC Naskapi, and the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.
- The Quebec Health Insurance Plan, sometimes called QHIP or régime d’assurance maladie du Québec, is the publicly funded program itself. It is the equivalent of OHIP in Ontario, MSP in British Columbia, and AHCIP in Alberta.
In short: Santé Québec runs the buildings, RAMQ runs the card, and the Quebec Health Insurance Plan is the policy that ties them together. Source: RAMQ, About RAMQ; Government of Quebec, Bill 15 (December 2023) and Santé Québec launch.
What Quebec Health Care Costs (and Why the Headline Is Free)
Quebec health care base coverage is free in 2026. Quebec eliminated the QHIP health-services premium decades ago and the registration with RAMQ has no fee, no annual renewal cost, and no charge to replace a lost or damaged Quebec health card. The plan is funded out of provincial general revenue, the federal Canada Health Transfer, and a portion of the Quebec health services fund (Fonds des services de santé) that employers and self-employed workers contribute through payroll. As a Quebec resident, you do not see a monthly bill.
Where Quebec residents do pay is on the prescription side and on services outside the public basket. The Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan charges an income-based annual premium of $0 to $766 per adult through your income tax return for the July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 benefit year, plus a $22 monthly deductible and 30% coinsurance at the pharmacy counter once you have used the deductible. Routine adult dental, eyeglasses, eye exams for adults aged 18 to 64, paramedical services like physiotherapy outside hospital, ambulance transport, and most non-emergency care received outside Quebec are not part of the public basket. The next sections walk through each gap and how to fill it.
What RAMQ Covers in 2026
The clearest single view of what a Quebec health card actually unlocks is the table below. It splits coverage into three categories: services RAMQ pays in full, services it pays partially or only in specific circumstances, and services it does not pay at all. Sources: RAMQ, Obtain information on covered services; RAMQ, Dental services; Government of Quebec, Cost of ambulance transportation.
| Category | Service | What RAMQ Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Fully covered | Family doctor (omnipraticien) visits at a clinic, GMF, or CLSC | Full RAMQ rate |
| Walk-in clinic visits at a participating physician | Full rate | |
| Specialist visits on referral | Full rate | |
| Emergency department care | Full rate | |
| Hospital admission, standard ward | Accommodation, meals, nursing, in-hospital drugs, lab and imaging | |
| Operating room, anaesthesia, medically necessary surgery | Full cost | |
| Maternity and newborn care, including in-hospital delivery and post-natal follow-up | Full rate | |
| Diagnostic imaging on physician requisition (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography) inside a hospital | Full cost | |
| Lab services in a hospital or designated public lab | Full cost | |
| Psychiatrist visits and medically required psychotherapy through the public network | Full rate | |
| Cancer treatment through the public oncology network | Full cost | |
| Medically necessary eye exams (cataract assessment, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy) | Full rate at any age | |
| Routine eye exam for residents under 18 | Full rate | |
| Routine eye exam for residents 65 and older | Full rate | |
| Children under 10: dental exam, X-rays, fillings, prefab crowns, root canal, tooth extraction, oral surgery, sedative dressings, local or general anaesthesia | Full rate at participating dentists | |
| Surgical and medically required dental services in a hospital, all ages | Full cost | |
| Vasectomy, tubal ligation, and medically required reproductive procedures | Full rate | |
| Partially covered | Eyeglasses or contact lenses for a child under 18 with a vision deficiency | Up to a fixed amount once every 24 months under the Visual Devices Program |
| Hearing aids for any age with a documented hearing loss | Full or partial coverage under the Hearing Devices Program | |
| Out-of-province care within Canada (except as noted) | Reciprocal billing at the host province’s rate; present the Quebec health card | |
| Out-of-country emergency care | Reimbursement at Quebec rates only; balance is the patient’s responsibility | |
| Ambulance transport (residents) | Not insured under QHIP, but the patient rate is regulated at $125 base plus $1.75 per kilometre | |
| Not covered | Routine adult dental (cleaning, fillings, extractions, crowns, dentures) for residents 10 and older | Nothing |
| Cleaning and fluoride application for children under 10 | Nothing | |
| Routine eye exams for adults aged 18 to 64 | Nothing | |
| Eyeglasses and contact lenses for working-age adults | Nothing | |
| Hearing aids for adults outside the Hearing Devices Program criteria | Nothing | |
| Prescription drugs at a community pharmacy | Nothing under QHIP (covered separately under the Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan or a private group plan) | |
| Counsellors, psychologists in private practice, registered massage therapists, naturopaths, chiropractors | Nothing | |
| Cosmetic surgery and non-medically-necessary procedures | Nothing | |
| Medical exams for driving, employment, insurance, school, sports, immigration | Nothing | |
| Travel vaccines (typhoid, yellow fever, malaria prophylaxis) | Nothing | |
| Most non-emergency care outside Canada | Nothing | |
| Hospital room upgrades to private or semi-private (unless medically necessary) | Nothing | |
| Orthodontic treatment (braces, aligners) | Nothing | |
| Ambulance transport (non-residents) | Nothing; non-resident rate is $400 plus $1.75 per kilometre |
Routine adult dental, adult eye exams, eyeglasses, and prescriptions are the four big out-of-pocket categories for working-age Quebecers. Most fill those gaps with employer extended-health benefits, a personal Quebec Blue Cross or Industrial Alliance plan, the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan if income-eligible, or the Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan for prescriptions. The pattern matches every other provincial plan in Canada: anything a doctor or hospital does for a sick body inside the public network is covered, and anything that touches the pharmacy counter, the dental chair, the optical shop, or another country, the patient mostly pays for unless they have additional insurance.
Who Qualifies for a Quebec Health Card
Eligibility for the Quebec Health Insurance Plan is set under the Health Insurance Act and detailed at RAMQ, Know the eligibility conditions. Three core tests apply.
- Status. You must hold a status that authorizes a stay of more than six months in Canada, including: Canadian citizen, permanent resident, refugee or protected person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, registered Indigenous person under the federal Indian Act, holder of a federal work permit of at least six months working for a Quebec employer, holder of a study or research permit from a country that has a social security agreement with Quebec, or the spouse or dependent child accompanying an eligible adult.
- Main residence. You must make Quebec your principal place of residence. A signed Quebec lease, mortgage document, employment letter on letterhead with a Quebec address, or utility bill in your name is the standard evidence.
- Physical presence. You must be present in Quebec at least 183 days per calendar year. Departure and return dates and absences of 21 consecutive days or less are not counted.
The category of newcomer you fall into determines exactly when coverage begins and which documents RAMQ requests.
New Permanent Residents and Returning Canadian Citizens
Canadian citizens and permanent residents settling in Quebec from outside Canada must register with RAMQ and serve the standard waiting period. Coverage begins on the first day of the third month after registration once all documents are in order. Bring the Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), permanent resident card (front and back), or Canadian passport and Quebec proof of address. Source: RAMQ, Registration information.
The widely-shared piece of folklore that Quebec has a “no waiting period for international newcomers” rule is wrong. Unlike Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, which waive the wait for international arrivals, Quebec applies the up-to-three-month wait to most permanent residents and Canadian citizens settling in the province. The exemptions are for the social security agreement countries, refugees, and certain workers, listed below.
Newcomers from a Social Security Agreement Country
Quebec has bilateral social security agreements with eleven countries that include a health component: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, and Sweden. Nationals of these countries who are coming to Quebec to work, study, or carry out a research stay can be exempt from the three-month waiting period when they present the certificate of coverage issued by their home country’s social security authority before departure. The certificate is country-specific (for example, the SE 401-Q-106 form for France) and must be obtained before you leave; once you are in Quebec, the home country usually cannot issue it retroactively. Source: RAMQ, Social security agreements with other countries.
Newcomers Moving from Another Canadian Province
A new resident moving to Quebec from another Canadian province registers with RAMQ once they establish residence and serves the same up-to-three-month wait. Coverage begins on the first day of the third month after the date you make Quebec your main residence. A move on May 15 yields RAMQ coverage starting August 15; a move on June 1 yields coverage starting September 1. Your previous province’s health insurance plan continues to cover medically necessary care through the wait period under the Canada Health Act portability principle, with the standard reciprocal billing rules. Confirm the exact cancellation date with your home province before you cross.
Work Permit Holders
A federal work permit valid for at least six months, paired with a Quebec employer and a Quebec address, is the threshold for an open work permit holder to qualify for RAMQ. Spouses and dependent children with their own valid status are added to the same family file once the principal applicant is enrolled. Bring the original work permit, COPR if applicable, the Quebec employer letter, and the Quebec proof of address.
If your permit is shorter than six months, you do not qualify for RAMQ. The standard answer is private newcomer-to-Canada bridge insurance for the term of the permit. Workers from one of the eleven social security agreement countries who present the home-country certificate can be exempt from the waiting period. Seasonal agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador under the federal program have a separate exemption pathway through specific bilateral arrangements.
International Students
International students attending a Quebec institution are eligible for RAMQ only if they come from a country that has a social security agreement with Quebec and their country’s agreement covers students. France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, and Sweden have student-eligible agreements. Students from any country outside those agreements are not eligible for RAMQ and instead enrol in the mandatory school plan administered by their institution.
The standard school plans in 2026:
- McGill University: International Health Insurance (IHI) administered by Blue Cross. Mandatory unless you are RAMQ-covered. Source: McGill ISS, RAMQ FAQs.
- Concordia University: International Student Health Insurance Plan administered by Blue Cross.
- Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal: Desjardins International Student Health Insurance.
- UQAM: Desjardins.
- Université Laval (Quebec City): plan administered by Desjardins.
- Université de Sherbrooke: Desjardins.
The fee is added to your tuition at registration; opt-outs are limited to RAMQ-covered students who present the agreement-country certificate of coverage. Most plans run roughly $1,200 to $1,800 per year and offer the same primary-care benefits as RAMQ for the duration of your study permit.
Refugees, Protected Persons, and Refugee Claimants
Convention refugees and protected persons with valid IRCC documentation are eligible for RAMQ from the date they establish residence in Quebec. Refugee claimants with applications still in progress are covered under the federal Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) until their status is resolved. Effective May 1, 2026, IFHP introduced a $4 co-payment per prescription and 30% co-payments on supplemental services like dental, vision, and mental health.
Canadian Armed Forces Families
Active Canadian Armed Forces personnel are covered federally and are not enrolled in RAMQ. Their spouses and Quebec-resident children are eligible for RAMQ and have the standard wait waived because of the family’s posting status.
Who Is Not Eligible
Tourists, visitors, and people in Quebec on a temporary visa shorter than six months are not eligible. Holders of a study permit from a country without a Quebec social security agreement are not eligible (they use the school plan). Out-of-province students attending a Quebec school temporarily are not eligible (their home province’s plan covers them under the Canada Health Act portability principle). Anyone whose immigration documents have expired without a maintained-status application in progress loses RAMQ on the document expiry date.
How to Apply for a Quebec Health Card: The Step-by-Step Process
The actual application is short. Block off about an hour for the online portal, plus another 5 to 10 minutes per family member to gather and scan documents.
Step 1. Open the RAMQ Online Newcomer Portal
Open the RAMQ newcomer registration portal. Each adult on the family file fills out their own Adult form. Children are added by a parent on a separate Child form. After the first family member submits, subsequent registrations use the reference number from the acknowledgement email so the Régie can group the file.
If you cannot complete the application online, two RAMQ counters accept in-person applications:
- Montreal: Place Desjardins, 425 boul. de Maisonneuve Ouest, 3rd floor (Place-des-Arts metro)
- Quebec City: 1125 Grande Allée Ouest
For phone help, call 514-864-3411 in the Greater Montreal area, 418-646-4636 in the Greater Quebec City area, or 1-800-561-9749 toll-free anywhere else in Quebec, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Source: RAMQ, Contact us.
Step 2. Upload the Right Documents
The Régie verifies three things for every person on the application: identity, immigration status, and Quebec residency. The portal accepts uploads as PDF or JPG files.
| Document Category | Acceptable Examples |
|---|---|
| Proof of identity | Foreign passport, Canadian passport, Canadian or Quebec birth certificate, Quebec driver’s licence |
| Proof of citizenship or immigration status | Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR), PR card (front and back), Canadian citizenship certificate, federal work permit, federal study permit, refugee or protected-person documentation, Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) where applicable |
| Proof of Quebec residency | Signed Quebec lease, Quebec utility bill (Hydro-Québec, Énergir, Bell, Vidéotron) within the last six months, Quebec mortgage document, Quebec property tax (taxes municipales) statement, employer letter on Quebec letterhead, Quebec driver’s licence, Quebec bank or credit card statement |
| Social security agreement (where applicable) | Country-specific certificate of coverage obtained from the home country’s social security authority before departure |
Documents in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation. Spouses and dependent children up to age 18 (or up to 25 if in full-time post-secondary study) are listed on the same family file, but each adult holds their own Quebec health card with their own NAM (numéro d’assurance maladie).
Step 3. Submit and Track Processing
Submit the registration. RAMQ sends an acknowledgement email with the reference number and the current processing time. During peak periods (typically July through September, when international students arrive in Montreal and Quebec City) processing times run longer than the standard window. Once approved, the Quebec health card is mailed to the Quebec address on file roughly two weeks after coverage becomes active.
For status questions during processing, contact RAMQ at the numbers above. Until the card arrives and the wait clears, the Quebec Health Insurance Plan does not pay; private bridge insurance is what protects you.
Your Quebec Health Card and the NAM (Numéro d’Assurance Maladie)
The Quebec health card is plastic, sun-coloured, and carries your photo from age 14 onward, your signature, your full name, your date of birth, the card’s expiry date, and your NAM (numéro d’assurance maladie). The NAM is a 12-character identifier built from the first three letters of your family name, the first letter of your given name, the last two digits of your birth year, the month (with 50 added for women in the historical schema RAMQ still uses), the day of birth, and a three-digit serial. The NAM is your lifetime identifier; it does not change if you move within Quebec, change your name, or replace the card.
The card itself expires every four years and renews on a rolling basis. RAMQ sends a renewal notice and a pre-filled form 30 to 60 days before expiry. The renewal can usually be completed online through the Mes informations RAMQ portal. Failure to renew before the expiry date suspends coverage; a new photo is required at the SAAQ photo service every renewal cycle.
You are asked for the card or NAM at every clinic, hospital, lab, pharmacy, and dental clinic in the province. Memorize the NAM or store it securely; you will recite it more often than your phone number.
What Newcomers Pay Without an Active Quebec Health Card
The dollar table below is the cheapest way to understand why bridge insurance is the most important first-week purchase. These are 2026 averages charged at private rates in Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, and Saguenay.
| Service | With Quebec Health Card | Without (Newcomer in the Wait or Not Yet Eligible) |
|---|---|---|
| Family doctor visit | $0 | $90 to $200 |
| Walk-in clinic visit | $0 | $100 to $250 |
| Specialist visit on referral | $0 | $200 to $450 |
| Emergency department triage | $0 | $700 to $1,500 |
| ER plus assessment, X-ray, blood work | $0 | $1,400 to $3,800 |
| Hospital admission per day | $0 | $1,800 to $4,800 |
| Day surgery (appendectomy, simple fracture) | $0 | $9,000 to $24,000 |
| Maternity, vaginal delivery | $0 | $5,500 to $10,000 |
| Maternity, caesarean section | $0 | $11,000 to $18,000 |
| MRI on physician requisition (private clinic) | Public: $0 in hospital | $700 to $1,400 |
| Ground ambulance, single transport (resident rate) | $125 + $1.75/km | $400 + $1.75/km (non-resident) |
| Adult eye exam (ages 18 to 64) | Not covered | $90 to $160 |
| Prescription eyeglasses (single vision basic) | Not covered | $230 to $480 |
| Prescription eyeglasses (progressive) | Not covered | $400 to $850 |
| Generic prescription, monthly | Public drug plan deductible applies | $20 to $80 |
| Brand-name prescription, monthly chronic | Public drug plan deductible applies | $80 to $400 |
| Adult dental cleaning and exam | Not covered | $140 to $230 |
| Filling | Not covered | $170 to $330 |
| Root canal | Not covered | $700 to $1,400 |
| Physiotherapy session (outside hospital) | Not covered | $80 to $130 |
| Registered psychologist session | Not covered | $180 to $250 |
A newcomer who lands in Montreal in the middle of the three-month wait, breaks an ankle on day three, and arrives by ambulance is looking at $400 plus distance for the ride and $9,000 to $24,000 for day surgery before they have unpacked. A 90-day newcomer-to-Canada policy from Manulife, Sun Life, GMS, Allianz, Tugo, or Quebec Blue Cross runs $70 to $200 per month for a healthy adult under 50 and is the single most cost-effective insurance purchase you make in the first month. Source: Government of Quebec, Cost of ambulance transportation; Urgences-santé, Cost of transportation.
The Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan in 2026
The Quebec Health Insurance Plan does not cover prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy. Quebec runs a separate, mandatory drug insurance system that no other Canadian province operates: every person living in Quebec must have prescription drug coverage at all times, either through a private group plan (employer, association, professional order, or a parent’s or spouse’s plan you are entitled to) or, if you do not have access to a private plan, through the Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan administered by RAMQ. Joining is not optional and you cannot pick the public plan if you have access to a private one.
How the public plan works in 2026, for the benefit year July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026:
- Register with RAMQ separately from QHIP. Registration for the drug plan is not automatic the way QHIP enrolment is. Use the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan registration page within 30 days of arriving or losing your private coverage.
- Annual premium. Paid through your Quebec income tax return, scaled to net family income. The 2025-2026 range is $0 to $766 per adult, calculated on Schedule K of your TP-1 return and remitted to Revenu Québec.
- At the pharmacy. A $22 monthly deductible, then 30% coinsurance on covered drugs above the deductible, up to a monthly maximum contribution of $102.64 and an annual maximum contribution of $1,232 for adults 18 to 64. Once you reach the cap, the plan pays 100% of eligible costs for the rest of the period.
- Seniors with the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Quebecers 65 and older who receive at least 94% of the maximum federal Guaranteed Income Supplement pay the same $22 deductible and 30% coinsurance but with a lower monthly cap of $57.29 and an annual cap of $687.
- Children. Children under 18 who are listed on the family file pay nothing under the public plan when their parent is enrolled.
Source: RAMQ, Rates in effect; RAMQ, Obligation to have prescription drug insurance coverage.
The most common newcomer mistake is to assume RAMQ enrolment automatically covers prescriptions. It does not. If you do not have employer drug benefits, register for the public plan in your first month; if you do have employer benefits, your employer enrols you in the private group plan and the public plan is not available to you. The mandatory-coverage rule is enforced through your tax return, where unenrolled adults who lacked private coverage during the year owe the public plan premium anyway.
The Federal Canadian Dental Care Plan in Quebec
By 2026 the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) is open to every eligible Canadian resident, including working-age Quebecers. The eligibility test:
- Resident in Canada for tax purposes.
- Filed last year’s Canadian tax return (the federal return; Quebec residents file both federal and provincial).
- Adjusted family net income under $90,000.
- No access to private dental insurance through an employer, parent’s plan, pension, or other source. Voluntarily dropping private coverage to qualify still disqualifies you.
Households under $70,000 receive 100% of the eligible-fee schedule. Households with adjusted family net income from $70,000 to $79,999 pay a 40% co-payment. Households from $80,000 to $89,999 pay a 60% co-payment. Sun Life administers the plan on behalf of Health Canada.
In Quebec, CDCP coordinates with RAMQ’s children-under-10 dental coverage. RAMQ pays the eligible service first for a covered child; CDCP picks up amounts that would otherwise have been the parent’s out-of-pocket cost. For Quebecers 10 and older, CDCP is the only public dental option, and it covers preventive (cleanings, exams, X-rays), basic (fillings, extractions, root canals on most teeth), major (crowns, bridges, partial dentures on prior approval), and orthodontic treatment for medical reasons on prior approval. Source: Canada.ca, CDCP fact sheet for Quebec.
Care While You Wait: Info-Santé 811, GMFs, and Walk-In Clinics
The hardest part of the Quebec newcomer experience is the gap between landing and getting attached to a médecin de famille. Three publicly funded routes bridge that gap.
Info-Santé and Info-Social: 811
Dial 811 anywhere in Quebec, free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The line is the public-facing entry point for Quebec health care advice between business hours and after them, and it offers two streams selectable from the main menu:
- Option 1, Info-Santé: a registered nurse for non-urgent medical advice. Triage symptoms, decide whether you need the ER, get medication guidance, manage chronic conditions, or get a referral to the right CLSC.
- Option 2, Info-Social: a psychosocial worker for mental health and crisis support, added province-wide in 2022.
The 811 line does not require a Quebec health card and is available in French and English with on-demand interpretation for other languages. It is the de facto first stop for newcomers in their first hour in the province. Save the number to your phone the day you land. Source: Government of Quebec, Info-Santé and Info-Social 811.
GMFs, Family Medicine Groups, and Family Doctors
Most family doctors in Quebec practise inside a Groupe de médecine de famille (GMF) or a super-clinique GMF-Réseau: multidisciplinary clinics with physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and sometimes psychologists or physiotherapists under one roof. Patients are formally attached to a GMF on a guichet d’accès à un médecin de famille (GAMF) waiting list, which Santé Québec now manages alongside the regional service centres.
Register for a family doctor through the Quebec Family Doctor Finder (Guichet d’accès à un médecin de famille) once your Quebec health card and NAM arrive. The wait is real: in Montreal and Laval the average attachment time runs 6 to 18 months; in Quebec City and Gatineau it is shorter; in some Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Bas-Saint-Laurent communities it is longer. Until you are attached, the super-clinique network and the GMF-Réseau model accept walk-ins, and the Guichet d’accès à la première ligne (GAP) offers same-day or next-day appointments via 811 (option 4 in many regions) or a regional intake form.
Walk-In Clinics, Super-Cliniques, and CLSCs
While you wait, you have three free walk-in options with the Quebec health card.
- Super-cliniques (GMF-Réseau). Open seven days a week, evenings and weekends, with on-site lab and imaging in many locations. The list at quebec.ca, Find a super-clinique is the canonical map.
- Standard walk-in clinics (sans rendez-vous). Independent or GMF-attached. Same-day appointments are typically released through Bonjour-santé or Clic Santé in the early morning. In Montreal, more than 100 clinics participate.
- CLSCs (centres locaux de services communautaires). Now operating under Santé Québec, the local CLSC handles vaccinations, well-baby visits, prenatal care, mental health intake, perinatal services, school-age vision and hearing screening, home care, and basic nursing services. Each CLSC is the front door to public health for its catchment area; the closest one to your address is on the Santé Québec service finder.
Pharmacists in Quebec can also assess and prescribe for several minor ailments under the expanded scope-of-practice provincial regulation, which avoids a doctor visit for issues like urinary tract infections, oral thrush, allergies, contraceptive renewals, and minor skin conditions. The pharmacist consult fee is covered by RAMQ for residents.
Newcomer First-Week Action Checklist (Quebec)
Use this list in the first 30 days after landing in Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Saguenay, or any other Quebec community.
- Before flying: purchase a 90-day newcomer-to-Canada private insurance policy with at least $100,000 of coverage. Premiums for a healthy adult under 50 run $70 to $200 per month. Match the policy start date to your flight date.
- Day 1 in Quebec: save 9-1-1 (emergency), 8-1-1 (Info-Santé and Info-Social), and your insurer’s emergency number to your phone. If you came from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, or Sweden, confirm your home-country social security certificate is in hand.
- Week 1: sign a Quebec lease, mortgage, or hosting-attestation letter. RAMQ needs proof of a Quebec address before it accepts the registration.
- Week 1: apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) at any Service Canada office in Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, or Sherbrooke. The SIN is required for employer benefits enrolment and CRA/Revenu Québec registration.
- Week 1: open the RAMQ newcomer registration portal and submit your Adult form (and Child forms for any children). The earlier the file is on RAMQ’s books, the earlier the three-month wait clock starts.
- Week 2: if you do not have home internet, visit the RAMQ counter at Place Desjardins in Montreal or 1125 Grande Allée Ouest in Quebec City to complete the registration in person.
- Week 2: identify the closest super-clinique GMF-Réseau, walk-in clinic, CLSC, and hospital emergency department to your home (Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Hôpital Notre-Dame, McGill University Health Centre – Glen Site, Jewish General Hospital, Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus in Quebec City, Hôpital Saint-François d’Assise, Hôpital de Hull in Gatineau, Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne in Longueuil). Save the addresses to your phone.
- Week 3: register on the Guichet d’accès à un médecin de famille once your NAM is issued. The attachment wait is long; the registration is the only way the clock starts.
- Week 3: if you are starting a job, complete the employer extended-health benefits enrolment. Quebec’s mandatory drug coverage rule means the employer plan supersedes the public plan from the first eligible day; do not delay enrolment.
- Month 1: if you do not have a private group drug plan, register for the Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. Coverage starts on the first day of the month following registration.
- Month 1: if your household income is under $90,000 and you have no private dental coverage, file your first Canadian and Quebec tax returns as soon as you can so you can apply to the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan.
- Month 2 to 3: when your Quebec health card arrives, cancel the bridge policy and request a pro-rata refund on the unused premium. Confirm the NAM is correct and book a first appointment at your assigned CLSC for any outstanding immunizations and a baseline check.
For a deeper city-level look at Montreal, see our guide to moving to Montreal. For the cross-province pattern, see the ‘Manitoba health card’ guide, the ‘Newfoundland health care’ guide, the ‘New Brunswick health care’ guide, and the ‘Alberta health coverage (AHCIP)’ guide.
Updating, Renewing, and Replacing Your Quebec Health Card
Quebec health card coverage stays active as long as your eligibility holds, but a few life events trigger an update obligation.
- Change of address inside Quebec. Update through Mes informations RAMQ or by calling the Régie. RAMQ does not issue a new card for an address change, but the file must reflect your current Quebec address for renewal mailings.
- New dependants. Add a spouse, partner, or new baby through the dedicated update form within 30 days of the event. The Régie issues a new card in the child’s name.
- Marital status change. Update with documentation (Quebec marriage certificate, separation agreement, divorce decree).
- Renewing a work permit or study permit. Submit IRCC documentation showing the new permit so coverage is not interrupted. Failure to do so cancels RAMQ on the original document expiry date. Maintained-status applicants (those who applied to extend before their permit expired) are continued as long as the extension is in process.
- Lost, stolen, or damaged card. Replace through the RAMQ replace your card page. Replacement is free.
- Renewal at expiry. RAMQ sends the renewal package 30 to 60 days before the four-year expiry. The renewal can usually be done online through Mes informations RAMQ; a new SAAQ photo is required. Failure to renew before expiry suspends coverage.
- Moving out of Quebec. Cancel coverage on the move date and apply to the destination province on arrival. Failing to cancel can create overlap and force a clawback on inappropriate billings.
If the Régie denies coverage (most often for expired immigration documents or insufficient residency proof), the appeals process is set out in the Health Insurance Act: write to RAMQ requesting a review and provide the new evidence. Decisions on review usually return within 4 to 8 weeks.
How Quebec Health Care Compares to OHIP, MSP, AHCIP, and Other Provincial Plans
| Plan | Province | Newcomer Wait | Adult Eye Exams | Routine Dental | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAMQ (QHIP) | Quebec | Up to 3 months (exemptions for 11 social security countries, refugees, certain workers) | Covered for under 18 and 65+ only | Covered for under 10; CDCP otherwise | $0 (drug plan: $0 to $766 income-based) |
| OHIP | Ontario | None for international newcomers (since March 2024) | Not covered (20 to 64) | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| AHCIP | Alberta | None for international newcomers | Not covered (19 to 64) | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| MSP | British Columbia | About 2 to 3 months for everyone | Not covered (19 to 64) | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 (eliminated 2020) |
| MHSIP | Manitoba | None for international newcomers; 3 months interprovincial | Not covered (19 to 64) | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| Saskatchewan Health | Saskatchewan | First day of 3rd month | Not covered, adults | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| MSI | Nova Scotia | None for international newcomers | Not covered (10 to 64) | Not covered (surgical, children’s) | $0 |
| New Brunswick Medicare | New Brunswick | First day of 3rd month | Not covered, adults | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| MCP | Newfoundland and Labrador | None | Not covered, adults | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
| PEI Health Card | Prince Edward Island | First day of 3rd month | Not covered, adults | Not covered (surgical only) | $0 |
Two things stand out about Quebec health care when you look across the country. First, RAMQ is the only public plan that covers routine eye exams for residents at both ends of the age range (under 18 and 65 and older), where most other provinces stop at 18 or 19 and pick up again only for medical eye exams. Second, Quebec is the only province that operates a mandatory hybrid drug-insurance system: every resident must have prescription coverage at all times, public if they lack private. The trade-off for Quebecers is that you pay through Schedule K every spring, but you also never go without prescription coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions: Quebec Health Care, RAMQ, and Santé Québec
How does Quebec health care work for newcomers?
Quebec health care is administered by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), which issues your Quebec health card and pays providers. Hospitals, CLSCs, and CHSLDs have been operated by Santé Québec since December 1, 2024. New residents register with RAMQ at ramq.gouv.qc.ca, serve a waiting period of up to three months, and use private bridge insurance during the wait. Once active, the Quebec Health Insurance Plan covers family doctor visits, walk-in clinics, hospital care, surgery, anaesthesia, maternity, diagnostic imaging in hospital, and most specialist visits at no cost to the patient.
How long is the RAMQ waiting period?
Up to three months from the date you register, for most newcomers. Coverage begins on the first day of the third month after registration. Exemptions apply to nationals of the eleven social security agreement countries (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Sweden) who present the home-country certificate of coverage, to refugees and protected persons, to seasonal agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, and to certain repatriated Canadians. Children under 18 are not subject to the wait.
Are RAMQ premiums a thing in 2026?
No. Quebec does not charge a premium for the Quebec Health Insurance Plan and there is no fee to apply or replace the card. The separate Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan does charge an income-based annual premium of $0 to $766 per adult through your Quebec income tax return for the July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 benefit year. The drug plan premium is unrelated to the QHIP card.
Are international students eligible for RAMQ?
Only if they come from one of the eleven countries with a Quebec social security agreement that includes student coverage (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Sweden), and only if they present the home country’s certificate of coverage. Students from any other country enrol in the mandatory school plan administered by their institution: McGill IHI through Blue Cross, Concordia and Université de Montréal through Blue Cross or Desjardins, and so on. The school-plan fee runs roughly $1,200 to $1,800 per year and is added to tuition at registration.
Are work permit holders eligible for a Quebec health card?
Yes, if the federal work permit is valid for at least six months and the holder works for a Quebec employer. Spouses and dependent children listed on the family file are eligible alongside the principal applicant. Permits shorter than six months do not qualify; private bridge insurance is the standard solution. Workers from one of the eleven social security agreement countries who present a home-country certificate of coverage may be exempt from the three-month waiting period.
What is Santé Québec and how is it different from RAMQ?
Santé Québec is the Crown corporation created by Bill 15 in December 2023 and operational since December 1, 2024. It is the sole employer of the roughly 330,000 health care workers in the public network and runs about 1,500 institutions: hospitals, CLSCs, CHSLDs, GMFs, rehabilitation centres, and youth centres. RAMQ is the public insurer that issues the Quebec health card and pays providers. In short: RAMQ pays, Santé Québec delivers. Patients still register with RAMQ and use the same Quebec health card; the Santé Québec change is administrative, not patient-facing.
Does RAMQ cover dental care?
For children under 10, RAMQ covers one annual exam, emergency exams, X-rays, fillings, prefabricated crowns, root canal, tooth extraction, oral surgery, sedative dressings, and local or general anaesthesia, when provided at a participating dentist. RAMQ does not cover cleaning, fluoride application, or orthodontic treatment for any age. Dental and oral surgery in a hospital is covered when medically required, regardless of age. Working-age Quebecers under $90,000 family income with no private dental coverage now qualify for the federal Canadian Dental Care Plan, which closes most of the adult-dental gap.
Does RAMQ cover prescription drugs?
Drugs administered during a hospital stay are covered. Prescriptions filled at a community pharmacy are covered through a separate program: the Quebec Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan, also administered by RAMQ. Quebec is unique in that drug coverage is mandatory for every resident: you must be enrolled in either a private group plan (employer, association, professional order) or the public plan at all times. The 2025-2026 public plan rates are a $22 monthly deductible, 30% coinsurance, $102.64 monthly cap, and $1,232 annual cap for adults 18 to 64. The annual premium is $0 to $766 per adult, paid through your Quebec tax return.
Does RAMQ cover ambulance services?
No. Ground ambulance is not insured under QHIP. Quebec residents pay a regulated rate of $125 base plus $1.75 per kilometre for ambulance transport to a hospital. Non-residents pay $400 base plus $1.75 per kilometre. The fee is the patient’s responsibility even when someone else called 9-1-1. Most employer benefit plans and Quebec Blue Cross supplementary policies cover the resident ambulance fee. Inter-facility transfers ordered between health-care facilities for medically-required treatment are covered without patient charge.
What if I need health care while I am still in the wait period?
Use private bridge insurance for everything except the public services that do not require a Quebec health card. Dial 8-1-1 anytime for free nurse advice through Info-Santé or psychosocial support through Info-Social; the line does not require a NAM. Walk-in clinics will see you, but you pay cash (typically $100 to $250 per visit at private rates) and submit to your insurer for reimbursement. For true emergencies, the emergency department always sees you regardless of insurance status; the bill follows.
What is a NAM and how do I find mine?
The numéro d’assurance maladie (NAM) is a 12-character identifier printed on your Quebec health card. It is built from your name, date of birth, and a serial. The NAM is a lifetime identifier and does not change if you move within Quebec, change your name, or replace the card. You will be asked for your NAM at every clinic, hospital, lab, pharmacy, and dental office in the province. If you cannot find it, log in to Mes informations RAMQ or call 514-864-3411 in Montreal, 418-646-4636 in Quebec City, or 1-800-561-9749 toll-free.
Do I really need private health insurance in Quebec if I am settled here?
Most Quebec employers offer extended-health benefits that cover dental, vision, prescriptions, paramedical services, and sometimes private hospital rooms, and those plans round out the gaps in the Quebec Health Insurance Plan. If your employer plan is generous, you do not need additional coverage. If you are self-employed, retired, or a student, a personal Quebec Blue Cross, Industrial Alliance, Manulife, or Sun Life plan typically runs $50 to $200 per month for an individual and pays for itself the first time you need a $230 dental cleaning, a $90 eye exam, or a $400 chronic prescription. The mandatory drug-coverage rule means you are paying for prescriptions one way or the other; private bundles often add dental and vision for a small premium on top.
This guide reflects 2026 rules. RAMQ updates the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan rates every July 1 and adjusts ambulance fees periodically. Always verify the current figures at the official sources linked in the body before making a financial decision. For personal medical advice, consult a Quebec-licensed physician or call 8-1-1.