I AM > No Status
No Status
A person with no status is someone who comes from outside of Canada without legal status of immigration on a temporary or permanent basis. This is sometimes also referred to as undocumented immigrant, uninsured person or person without status.
If you do not have valid or full legal status in Canada, you may not be entitled to public health care coverage or access to social services in Ontario. If you need urgent medical care, please go to a hospital emergency room. Hospitals are required to admit you, if your life is endangered. If you do not have status, you will be billed for emergency care at a hospital. For non-emergency care, some community health centres will provide care free of charge.
If you cannot pay the bill, speak with your worker at your local AIDS service organization (ASO) or a lawyer. Do not let the prospect of a bill prevent you from going to a hospital emergency room if you are in need of urgent medical care. To find a community health care centre near you, click here.
To find an AIDS Service Organization (ASO) and other HIV/AIDS programs near you, call the Ontario AIDS & Sexual Health InfoLine. For information in English and many other languages call: 416-392-2437 or 1-800-668-2437 (toll-free in Ontario), and for French call: 1-800-267-7432 (toll-free in Ontario). The InfoLine is free and anonymous. To find a settlement agency near you, click here.
In Ontario, you can dial 211 on your phone or visit 211 Ontario to find an ASO and other HIV/AIDS programs in your city or town. Use your location to find services near you.
You can also visit HIV 411 and search for an ASO using your postal code, or the name of your city or town.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
In Ontario, health care is confidential under the Personal Health Information Act. If you want to learn more about service providers’ privacy and confidentiality policies, do not be afraid to ask them directly.
If you need legal advice, contact Legal Aid Ontario for assistance in over 200 languages call:416-979-1446 or 1-800-668-8258 (toll-free). If you do not qualify for legal aid, you can find a lawyer by clicking here. People with HIV who are new to Ontario can get free legal advice and information about immigration from the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). To talk to a lawyer about HIV and your immigration status, contact HALCO at 416-340-7790 or 1-888-705-8889 (toll-free in Ontario).
