Apply for a Yukon health care card

To qualify for Yukon health care insurance, you must meet Yukon residency requirements. If you're applying for your spouse or dependents who reside in the Yukon, they also must meet these requirements. 

To be eligible for the Yukon Health Insurance Plan you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or have immigration status;
• have a valid open work permit for a minimum of 1 year, if applicable, including a Yukon specific employer work permit;
• make your permanent home in the Yukon; and
• be present in the Yukon and not absent for more than 6 months without completing an extended absence form and telling us.  

If you're on a work visa

You can apply for Yukon Health Insurance Plan if you're on a Yukon-specific or open work visa valid for at least 1 year.

If you're on a study or tourist visa

You cannot apply to the Yukon Health Insurance Plan if you're on a study or tourist visa.

If you have refugee status

You may be eligible for coverage. For more information, phone 867-667-5209 or toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5209, or email [email protected].

To register for the Yukon Health Insurance Plan, bring:

• a Canadian birth certificate;
• a Canadian citizenship card or permanent resident status card;
• open or Yukon-specific work permit valid for a minimum of 1 year, if applicable; and
• a secondary piece of ID.

You must provide these documents for each person you've listed in your application.

Proof of residency

You must prove your residency when you apply for Yukon Health Care Insurance. You can use the following as proof:

• Utility bill in your name
• Pay stub from a Yukon employer
• An offer letter from a Yukon employer
• A signed tenancy agreement in your name for a minimum of one year

Where to apply

You must register in person with the Government of Yukon to receive Yukon Health Care Insurance.
In Whitehorse: 4th floor, 204 Lambert Street

In rural communities, application forms are available at all Territorial Agents.

You must be physically present in the Yukon. You do not have to be in the Yukon for 3 months before you apply.

New and returning Yukon residents must wait 3 months for coverage to start. You should apply when you arrive in the Yukon as delays can affect your eligibility date.

Returning Yukon residents

If you're a returning Yukon resident with active coverage from another jurisdiction, you're required to reapply for the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan.

If you're a new resident from another jurisdiction

You're covered by your former health care insurance plan during the 3-month wait period.

If you're on a work visa

Your wait period may vary depending on the issue date or arrival date. Phone 867-667-5209 or toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5209, or email [email protected] for more information.

If we deny your application for Yukon Health Care Insurance, you can appeal the decision. You'll need to submit a request of appeal written by you or your doctor.

It should include:

• a detailed account of your patient history; and
• current situation.

In response to your letter, we:

• can request a review by Yukon’s medical advisor;
• can review and assess service options used nationally on the subject matter including requesting a review of medical evidence and reports through the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health; and
• provide a letter of finding to you or your doctor.

If the government findings do not support your application, you may appeal for reconsideration in writing to the director of Insured Health Services, as directed by Section 5 of the Yukon Health Care Insurance Plan Act. 

Letters should be addressed to:

• Director, Insured Health and Hearing Services (H-2)
  Department of Health and Social Services
  Box 2703
  Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6