85% More People Can Now Apply for Entering Canada
Canada has made the Temporary Public Policy regarding Excessive Demand on Health and Social Services a permanent fixture. The policy, which went into effect on June 1, 2018, prevents certain immigration applicants from entering Canada due to medical conditions which could strain the healthcare and social services system.
However, this policy has changed the definition of social services to exclude special education, social and vocational rehabilitation services, as well as personal support services.
According to the policy, the applicants will be ineligible to enter Canada if their anticipated health-related costs exceed three times the average per-capita health or social services costs. This threshold is updated annually, and this year, the annual cost is $24,058.00. The amount has raised by almost 10.4% in the last year, to reflect three times the current average for Canadians, which is currently $8,019.00.
The benefit of an increase in the cost threshold means that Canada will accept more people with disabilities and bear the cost of their treatment. Now, when the threshold is higher, the door for new applicants is open. Increasing the cost threshold has allowed Canada to admit 85% of the applicants who were previously denied under the old definition.
The costs which are considered to calculate the said demand include:
- Home care by a nurse, physiotherapist, respiratory therapist or another care provider
- Palliative care
- Psychological counselling
- Medical aids, appliances and prostheses
- Residential facilities, including long-term care and substance abuse services
- Day facilities providing constant supervision, for example, respite care
- Physician services
- Nursing services
- Laboratory and diagnostic services
- Pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical services
- Hospital services
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
- Dialysis
- Supplies related to these services
- Psychiatric services
Eligibility Criteria and Conditions
After an applicant undergoes a medical exam, a delegated officer might give an exemption to a foreign national who would otherwise have been inadmissible, but who meets the following criteria and conditions:
The foreign national (principal applicant or their dependent family member) has a temporary or a permanent residents application received after April 16, 2018; and
The costs of the health and social services (listed in Section 1, Annex B) that would be required to treat the foreign national’s health condition are less than three times the average Canadian per capita health and social services costs over a period of five consecutive years
Services for which costs will be included while determining if an applicant meets the eligibility criteria:
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
Social Services
- Social services closely related to health services (provided by a health professional)
- home care (by a nurse, physiotherapist, respiratory therapist, etc.),
palliative care, - psychological counselling and
- the provision of devices related to those services.
- Medical aids, appliances, and prostheses.
- home care (by a nurse, physiotherapist, respiratory therapist, etc.),
- 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 provide constant supervision (respite care, etc.)
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