A member asked whether travel insurance is a hard requirement for international students travelling to Canada.
What the thread clarified:- It is not a strict legal requirement to enter, but it is strongly recommended. Members noted that since Canada's healthcare system doesn't automatically cover new arrivals (health coverage rules vary by province), you should expect out-of-pocket costs for any medical issue without insurance, and border officers may ask about your coverage at landing.
- Many universities already include health/dental coverage in tuition fees — check your offer letter and student services page before buying a separate policy, since you may already be covered through a student health plan.
- If you don't have Canadian health/dental coverage yet, get at least 3 months of travel insurance to bridge the gap until any university plan or provincial health coverage kicks in.
Takeaway: travel insurance isn't a hard visa condition, but arriving without any coverage is a real financial risk — confirm what your school already provides, and buy at least 3 months of interim coverage if it doesn't.