---
title: Do I need travel medical insurance for Work & Travel Canada?
description: Yes. Every IEC participant needs travel medical insurance with repatriation coverage, and you must bring proof to the border.
---

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1. [Working Abroad - Participants](https://knowledge.interexchange.org/working-abroad?hsLang=en-us)
2. [Work & Travel Canada](https://knowledge.interexchange.org/working-abroad/work-travel-canada?hsLang=en-us)
3. [Arriving in Canada](https://knowledge.interexchange.org/working-abroad/work-travel-canada?hsLang=en-us#arriving-in-canada)

# Do I need travel medical insurance for Work & Travel Canada?

## Why it's required, what to look for, and tips for Quebec.

Yes. [All IEC participants need travel medical insurance](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=939&top=25), and you'll need to bring proof of it to the border. This applies even if you have provincial coverage, other insurance or employer health benefits.

## Why other insurance doesn't count

IEC requires coverage for repatriation, which other types of insurance usually don't include. Repatriation is **the act of returning to one's home country**, and it can mean transporting a person or their remains. It can be voluntary or involuntary, and for insurance purposes it can apply to an individual situation like a serious illness or to an event like a natural disaster. IEC brings in travelers from over 38 countries, and every one of them, including people from the US, needs travel medical insurance.

## Choosing a plan

We're not an insurance broker or provider, so we don't recommend any one provider or plan. Start with our [one-page guide](https://iex-website.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/travel-medical-insurance-canada.pdf) and this [list of commonly used providers](https://www.interexchange.org/programs/travel-experiences-for-u-s-residents/which-travel-medical-insurance-should-i-use/). A few things to keep in mind:

- Prices vary based on your US state of residence, your age, your deductible and other factors.
- If you plan to do adventure activities or extreme sports, look for a plan that covers them or lets you add them on.
- Past participants have paid anywhere from $400 to $1,100 USD for an annual plan. Use that as a rough guide while you shop.

## Living in Quebec

Getting insurance with a Quebec address can be complicated. Here's what a few recent participants told us:

- "I have been using IMG global the whole time I have been here and I purchased the Patriot International Lite package. It has worked well and I have been able to get coverage throughout my time here!"
- "I used EStudent's Patriot Plan and it has worked well for me!"
- "After a lot of research before my move. I could not find any IEC insurance policy that would take a Quebec address either. On a positive note, using the office address in Toronto for my address, I was able to obtain insurance and had no trouble receiving my open work permit and documents at the Ontario border... I've heard that Quebec has taken a lot more measures to try and steer people from coming to Quebec and this province is just very complicated."

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