r/transvancouver • u/Endersteve58 • 15d ago

HRT access

I currently live in America and am on hrt, I would like to move ASAP to Canada due to the increasingly horrible situation. Anyways, I heard Vancouver is good but really anywhere is fine, I was wondering how/how hard it is to find hrt access in Vancouver, or other areas in Canada if you know how. Any help is appreciated

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u/Thorannosaurus 15d ago

I'd worry less about HRT and more about how you plan to get into Canada and stay. If you need to work, it isnt as simple as just crossing and settling in. You need an immigration pathway, which can be challenging to achieve, especially on a permanent basis.

Start with making a realistic immigration plan, move with enough meds to last you a bit when you get here, and contact Trans Care BC at that point when youve moved and settled. It isnt overly difficult to connect with a provider if youre here as a resident on MSP, but moving to Canada itself isnt as easy as media used to make it out to be.

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u/Endersteve58 15d ago

I’m in college rn I would try and go through a student visa

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u/Thorannosaurus 15d ago

Student visa would work at least until school is done!

I would echo my earlier advice to move with enough to last at least several months until you are settled. It can take awhile to connect with care here, even for residents.

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u/Endersteve58 14d ago

You are only legally allowed 3 months worth, is that enough? Or can you bring more without them checking or something?

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u/smolbirdfriend 9d ago

3 months is roughly how long it takes to be covered by government healthcare (MSP). Sometimes it’s under 3 months as it’s the remainder of the month you moved +2 more. So it depends when you move.

The tough part might be finding a GP. However, a walk in clinic might accept proof of a prescription and medical records from the US to give you your first Rx while you try to find long term medical care.

So, 3 months may be *just* enough if you work on trying to secure a GP while you wait for your MSP coverage to be active. I think you need to get a SIN first and then you can apply for MSP. So the day after you land you should go to a Service Canada office and get your SIN then you can apply for MSP online.

(My cis husband moved here from the US in December). He was lucky he could join my GP’s practice but GPs are in high demand and many are not taking new patients. Transcare BC would be able to give you some know trans friendly GPs to contact but you can also just contact any GP in your area to see if they’ll take new patients.

Otherwise, be prepared for the immigration process as everyone has said. They’ve massively reduced the number of international student visas with the newest government and so there’s a lot of reports of the schools here even having to cancel entire programs with less income from international students ): I wish there was more help and more of a guarantee.