Canada

It covers more than travel insurance, and is probably more “legal” since you technically aren’t a visitor (if you have your PR visa by then. If you don’t, you won’t be eligible until you do)

Don’t know about Alberta, but in BC you are eligible for MSP at the end of the third calendar month residing in the province, not 90 days.

We moved to BC at the very end of August, and were eligible by November 1.

I wouldn’t move until your PR status is approved or you have a work visa- if you arrive on a tourist visa with the intention of remaining in Canada permanently, and are assuming you will be granted PR status, that could cause you a ton of trouble, as you will technically be entering Canada on fraudulent terms, and it could result in your PR status being denied.

IIRC, Current wait times for PR visa approval are about two years from time of application, assuming there are no errors or problems with your paperwork. Even a small error can cause significant delay in processing your application. If your scheduled May 2026 arrival is less than two years from your initial application, you might want to rethink your plans, and speak to a good immigration lawyer, if you haven’t already.