Canada - Health

Canada Health for Visitors

The Canadian government does not pay for hospital or medical expenses for foreign visitors.

Health facilities are very good. For emergency medical care, visit a hospital emergency room or a walk-in clinic. Any treatment requires pre-payment.

The cost of medical treatment can be very expensive. You should obtain health insurance to cover any medical expenses before traveling to Canada.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases:

Make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date.

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for travelers undertaking high-risk activities, such as visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where food or water transmission may occur.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travelers.

Measles cases are increasing globally. It is recommended to be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Visit the Measles & Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report (2024) page on the Government of Canada website.

Prescription Drugs:

Keep all medications in their original, labeled containers. Carry a copy of the original prescription with you, making sure to include both the generic and trade names of the prescriptions in case of loss or theft. It is highly recommended to have a doctor's note detailing the reason for your medication use.

Visit the Government of Canada website's Travelling with Medication section for further details.

Emergency Numbers:
See Emergencies.

Contact information for local emergency response authorities and organizations can be found on the Government of Canada website.

Useful links:

• Health Canada
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Last updated:  March 2024