Certificate of coverage

An employer who temporarily assigns a worker to one of the countries that has signed an agreement can obtain a certificate of coverage from the Bureau des ententes de sécurité sociale. The certificate allows the employer and the employee to make certain contributions only to Québec. A self-employed worker can also obtain a certificate of coverage.

What procedure must an employer follow when assigning an employee to temporarily work in a foreign country?

Request a certificate of coverage from the BESS. The employer and the employees will save money since this certificate will allow social security contributions subject to the agreement to be made only to Québec. Of course, employees must meet certain requirements.

The services of the BESS are free of charge.

How to obtain a certificate of coverage

An employer or a self-employed worker can obtain a certificate of coverage by following these simple steps:

• Check whether the foreign country in question has signed a social security agreement with Québec by consulting the table of signatory countries.
• Fill out the forms for the employee who is being temporarily assigned. The forms are different from one country to another so be sure you have the correct forms! The agreements with the various countries are different as well. The BESS will supply you with all the information and documents you need.
• Once you have received the certificate of coverage, give it to your employee. If the social security agreement covers health insurance, it is important that he or she carefully read the accompanying information. It will indicate to which government agency the employee must present the certificate of coverage.