Recently, the Government of Canada announced plans to make it easier for people with disabilities and medical conditions to immigrate to Canada. The government has relaxed some of the provisions that excluded people with certain conditions based on the potential burden they may put on the health care system and social services. The relaxed policies towards medical restrictions came into effect on June 1.
The threshold for what is called “excessive demand” on health or social services has been raised allowing more people to become eligible. For example, people with HIV who were previously ineligible due to high drug costs may be able to qualify under the higher threshold.
Disability and medical restrictions
Prior to the change, the government based its assessment of excessive demand on the average annual medical costs for a Canadian – $6,655. If the demands of a person’s condition would exceed that, they were inadmissible. Now, the threshold has been raised to $19,965.
The government has also removed references to special education, social and vocational services and personal support services. These provisions could prevent a person with visual or hearing impairments, developmental delays or other disabilities from immigrating. For example, if a person wanted to immigrate with a child who has autism, they won’t be inadmissible on the basis that the child may need special education services.
Anyone who previously been denied due to medical inadmissibility would need to reapply if they are still interested in Canadian immigration.
How many people are currently denied?
Every year, about 1,000 potential immigrants were denied on the basis of medical inadmissibility – about .2 percent. One NDP MP, Jenny Kwan, estimated that even under the new threshold about a quarter will not qualify. The goal is to eventually remove the criteria of excessive demand altogether. Prior to the changes, the policy amounted to a savings of about .1 percent of the total health costs of the provinces. However, it was criticized as being discriminatory.
Critics say the government needs to go further given obligations under international law to not discriminate against individuals on the basis of disability.
Family members sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and people coming to Canada as refugees are not subjected to the medical inadmissibility requirements.