Medically inadmissible? What to do next explained by IME Clinic in Surrey, New Westminster, Langley & More

updated on April 28th, 2023

A panel physician performs an Immigration Medical Exam to confirm that the applicant meets the admissibility rules to enter Canada. The panel physician conducts the exam but is not responsible for the final decision on your immigration case (the government is). The government can return your case for several reasons, including security, criminal, financial, or medical reasons. If the government declares you medically inadmissible, you are not allowed to immigrate to Canada. There are several possible reasons for medical inadmissibility. However, it is possible to make changes to your life and retake your Immigration Medical Exam.

Why would you be considered medically inadmissible?

First, the government can refuse you if you are a danger to public health. An example of this is having a communicable infectious disease, such as tuberculosis, that puts other Canadians at risk. Remember, your panel physician and specialist send their results to eMedical, and Canadian migration officers decide. Your panel physician does not decide if you are admissible or not.

Second, you could be denied if you are a danger to public safety. Again, your immigration medical exam results will determine this. They will consider your risk of losing mental abilities and violent behavior.

Lastly, you could be medically inadmissible if you place excessive demand on health or social services. The government determines this by looking at any health conditions you may have, the cost of treating them in Canada, and whether or not this exceeds the excessive cost demand threshold. Importantly, inadmissibility rules for excessive demand do not apply to refugees or dependents, such as children and spouses.

To gain further knowledge on this inadmissibility topic, please check our blogs; immigration obstacles, common medical issues that could affect your application and what happens if you fail your Canadian IME.

What happens if you are deemed medically inadmissible?

If the migration officers decide you are inadmissible for medical reasons, you will receive a procedural fairness letter. You can reply to this letter before the government makes a final decision about your application.

For example, you can try to reverse the government’s decision by giving them more evidence on why you should be medically admissible. This can include:

• New information about your health condition, such as new treatments or cures you have received. For example, if you have Tuberculosis and treat it, you can take another immigration medical exam and submit your application again.
• Medication and services that you need have changed, thus improving your outcome.
• The cost of your medication is now less.

You must send back your additional information within 90 days of receiving your procedural fairness letter. It is also possible to request an extension.

Remember, you can consult the advice of a professional to write your reply. This is not a requirement.

All contact information for sending the letter is with the letter from the government.

Do you have any other options?

Finally, the last option is to prepare a mitigation plan for excessive demand. This only applies to specific situations. Overall, it will explain how you plan to deal with your future expenses due to your medical condition. For example, if you have employer-based health insurance or a private care center that will support the financial costs.

What do you do if you are still inadmissible?

Normally, if you are inadmissible, you cannot enter Canada. However, under certain circumstances, you can still apply for a temporary resident permit.

Find out more about medical inadmissibility here.

Thank you for reading with us and learning more about reasons, causes and other options if you are medically inadmissible to Canada. Find more informative blogs on our resources page, and don’t forget to share with your friends and family. Additionally, to stay updated with immigration news, check our website for weekly/bi-weekly updates. Alternatively, connect with us via our Facebook or Instagram page to get notified of our recent posts.

Furthermore, if you require IME, please book online at our location nearest to you.

Moreover, we at IME Clinic accept patients from all over Canada and we have multiple locations in Lower Mainland, BC (Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley and more). Whether you come from Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, or even Toronto, Montreal or Calgary, we are here to help you!

We wish you luck with your family reunification!