UNDERSTANDING MEDICAL SERVICES AND INSURANCE
On November 6, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced several changes to the International Student Program for 2026:
- PAL Exemption: Starting January 1, 2026, incoming graduate students (Master’s or PhD) studying/attending at public institutions will be Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) exempt. Further details are available on IRCC's graduate student website. Applications submitted before January 1, 2026, must still include a valid PAL. Learn how to receive your SFU PAL.
- Faster Processing for Doctoral Students: PhD students and their accompanying family members applying from outside of Canada may qualify for expedited study permit processing, if they apply within the same application. Applications may still be subject to background checks, which may delay processing times.
- 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: IRCC has set a target of 155,000 new international student arrivals for 2026. This target applies to study permit applications made from outside Canada and does not include study permit extensions or in-Canada applications. Learn more about the 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap here.
- Life as a Graduate Student: Prepare yourself for life in Canada by learning about housing options, study costs, employment opportunities, and more.
We encourage students to monitor IRCC’s website for the most up-to-date information and will update our News and Updates page as additional details become available.
As an international, exchange or study abroad student, you must have medical insurance for the entire duration of your studies. If family members are accompanying you, they should also have adequate medical insurance during their stay in Canada. The Canadian health system provides a high standard of health care, but care is very expensive if you are not insured. Without insurance, you could pay thousands of dollars per day for a hospital stay or even be refused certain services. In Canada, there are generally two types of insurance: primary and secondary.
Explore by topic: Medical Services and Insurance
Primary medical insurance
Covers medically-required services, such as visits to doctors, hospital stays and diagnostic medical testing. Primary medical insurance is legally required for all residents of British Columbia (including international students) and is provided through the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP).
Secondary medical insurance
Generally covers vision care, prescription drugs and dental care. Eligible SFU students receive secondary medical insurance through the SFSS/GSS Extended Health and Dental Plan. Graduate students working as TAs may receive coverage through another provider as part of their employment contract.
For more information on medical insurance at SFU, including how to apply, opt out (cancellation) information, and deadlines, see the Medical Insurance website. If you have any questions, please contact an International Student Advisor at intl_advising@sfu.ca.
Canadian medical system
You may find that the medical system in Canada is different from what you are used to back home. It's important that you develop an understanding of how the system works in Canada before you need to use it, to ensure that things go as smoothly as possible if you become ill or injured. In this section, you'll find tips to help you get comfortable with Canadian health care.
In the event of a medical emergency off campus:
Call 911 or go immediately to the nearest hospital’s emergency room. Emergency calls are free from any phone.