With the results of the 2024 Presidential election definitively pointing to another four years of Donald Trump in the Oval Office, many citizens of the U.S. have stated their desire to flee the country before the man takes office in January. Many of those who have thought about leaving the States have said that they wanted to go north to neighboring Canada.

Many have stated that not only does Canada promise an escape from Trump’s seemingly impending tyrannical rule, but also the promise of free healthcare  Which has been the focus of many voters for many years. But does Canada really have free healthcare?

The short answer, according to Movehub.com, is yes, they do. Our friendly northern neighbors do enjoy free medical care by paying for it through their taxes, however, it is stated that medical services are free at the point of use. According to the site though, it is noted that private health insurance is also a popular route.

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According to the site, 30% of the nation’s healthcare spending goes on private services. While there is no one specific “healthcare tax,” the site states that the Canadian government attempts to use a combination of taxes to fund its healthcare system. The combination of taxes including income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, import duties, and Employment Insurance.

So what does Canadian medicare cover? According to the site only medically necessary and hospital physician services.” However, it should be noted the Canadian federal government does not specifically say what a medically necessary is, instead, that is left up to the provincial and territorial governments.

It is stated that Regional Medicare plans, or provincial health insurance plans, usually cover:

According to the outlet, whenever a person uses a medicare service, you  the individual  are never billed directly. Instead, the bill goes to the government and there are no deductibles that you are forced to pay. The site also notes that the Regional Medicare plans do not cover several other procedures such as:

For those people who require a prescription, the news is a bit more grim, Canada is reportedly the only country that does not offer a government provision that goes toward a prescription. In a study conducted in 2019, some participants revealed that they either cut back on general needs such as food, clothing, car, leisure-related activities, or other healthcare supplies” in order to fill a prescription.

As previously stated, the rise in search comes after many Americans have voiced the intention to move. Google has also reported a spike in searches related to Canadian visas underscoring the anxiety many are dealing with. The process, it seems, is not an easy one. In order to apply for Canadian citizenship, you must be 18 years old. Then, you can apply several different ways  via specific provinces, via a special entrepreneur route, with help from a family member or spouse already living in Canada or through Québec, which has special immigration requirements, Business Insider reported.

According to the outlet, the more skills you possess (fluency in other languages, etc.) the higher you’ll “score” on applications, making you all the more likely to gain residency. Skilled workers are able to apply for residency via a fast track, called the Express Entry system. Under that system, workers are transitioned into new roles in the country and given scores based on their talents and job prospects. One drawback is that once you are granted citizenship, you can’t vote, run for office or hold certain jobs with top security clearances despite being covered by healthcare, and being able to work and study anywhere in the country. You are also able to lose your status if you  aren’t in Canada for at least 730 days during the first five years of your tenure.

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