CHANGES TO EXCESSIVE DEMAND ON HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

IRCC PUBLIC POLICY - EFFECTIVE - JUN 01, 2018 

• Canada’s health admissibility provisions for immigration applicants are designed, in part, to reduce impacts on Canada’s publicly funded health and social services systems. Under the current policy, a foreign national is inadmissible if they have a health condition that might reasonably be expected to cause an excessive demand on health or social services.

• Implementation of a public policy that is aligned with the above changes will allow the Department to take immediate steps to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Canadian society and to remove a barrier for persons who require health and social services that cost only a small amount more than the average Canadian per capita cost of health and social services, but who could otherwise contribute to Canada. At the same time, it will continue to protect health and social services for Canadians.
• This temporary public policy will apply to applications for visas or other required documents, for permanent or temporary residence.

ON OR AFTER APRIL 16, 2018

Once an immigration medical exam is completed, based on the public policy considerations, delegated officers may grant an exemption from paragraph 38(1)(c) of the Act (medical inadmissibility due to excessive demand on health or social services) to foreign nationals (principal applicant or their dependent family members) who would otherwise have been found inadmissible under paragraph 38(1)(c)

EXAMPLES  OF HEALTH SERVICES

• Physician services
• Nursing services
• laboratory and diagnostic services
• pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical services
• hospital services
• chemotherapy and radiotherapy
• dialysis
• psychiatric services
• supplies related to these services

EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL SERVICES 

• Social services closely related to health services:
  • Social services that are provided by a health professional:
    • home care (by a nurse, physiotherapist, respiratory therapist, etc.),
    • palliative care,
    • psychological counseling and
    • the provision of devices related to those services.
  • Medical aids, appliances, and prostheses.
• Social services that provide constant supervision and care for those who are not able to integrate into society
  • Residential facilities (long-term care, substance abuse services, etc.)
  • Day facilities providing constant supervision (respite care, etc.)

 Social services for which costs will not be included to determine if an applicant meets the eligibility criteria and conditions under the public policy

• special education services (preparation of an individualized education plan, educational assistants, etc.)
• social and vocational rehabilitation services (rehabilitation facilities, occupational therapy, behavioural therapy, speech-language therapy, etc.)
• personal non-professional support services means services such as assistance with activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, feeding, etc.), meal preparation, house cleaning, etc.
• provision of devices related to those services