Medical Definitions
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
- Danger to public health
To conclude that a foreign national’s health condition is likely to be a danger to public health, the medical officer who is assessing the foreign national’s health condition shall consider any report made by a health practitioner or medical laboratory with respect to the foreign national (i.e. the findings from the immigration medical examination), the communicability of any disease that the foreign national is affected by or carries, and the impact that the disease could have on other persons living in Canada. (R31)
Active pulmonary tuberculosis and untreated syphilis are considered a danger to public health.
- Danger to public safety
To conclude that a foreign national’s health condition is likely to be a danger to public safety, the medical officer who is assessing the foreign national’s health condition shall consider any report made by a health practitioner or medical laboratory with respect to the foreign national (i.e. the findings from the immigration medical examination), the risk of a sudden incapacity or of unpredictable or violent behaviour of the foreign national that would create a danger to the health or safety of persons living in Canada. (R33)
Health conditions that are likely to cause a danger to public safety include serious, uncontrolled and/or uncontrollable mental health problems such as
- certain impulsive sociopathic behaviour disorders
- some aberrant sexual disorders if involving harm to others
- certain paranoid states or some organic brain syndromes associated with violence or risk of harm to others
- applicants with substance abuse disorders leading to anti-social behaviours, such as violence and impaired driving
- suicide attempts and/or ideation if involving harm to others
- other types of hostile, disruptive behaviour
- Excessive demand exempt (EDE)
As per paragraphs A38(2), R24, R117(g) and R139(4), excessive demand determinations under A38(1)(c) do not apply to
- a spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner
- a dependent child (including an adopted a child) of the sponsor, or of the sponsor’s spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner
- Convention refugees (including their spouses/common-law partners/conjugal partners and dependent children)
- protected persons (including their spouses/common-law partners/conjugal partners and dependent children)
Although such individuals must undertake a full immigration medical examination, they are not assessed for excessive demand.
- Excessive demand for health and social services
- The definition of “excessive demand” is found in subsection R1(1).
- Health services
- The definition of “health services” is found in subsection R1(1).
- Immigration medical examination (IME)
According to the legislation, a medical examination may include any or all of the following: a review of an applicant’s medical history, a mental examination, a physical examination, laboratory and diagnostic tests, and a medical assessment of the applicant’s records (R29).
However, to have sufficient information to determine inadmissibility on health grounds, foreign nationals who are asked to submit to a medical examination should generally have at least one full medical examination conducted by a panel physician, called a routine immigration medical examination (IME), which includes all of the following:
- review of past medical history
- physical examination
- mental examination
- additional age-related tests:
- syphilis and HIV blood tests (age 15 and older)
- chest X-ray (age 11 and older)
If necessary, other medical investigations and tests may also be conducted to determine admissibility or inadmissibility on health grounds.
- Medical assessment
- A medical assessment is the review of an applicant’s medical file by an IRCC medical officer and/or delegated staff. A medical assessment may lead to a determination of inadmissibility or admissibility, or may indicate that further medical examination is required.
- Medical certificate
- The purpose of the medical certificate is to indicate that an applicant is not inadmissible on health grounds. It is created in GCMS by entering a medical profile that denotes that the applicant underwent a medical examination within the previous 12 months and was found admissible on health grounds (limited to the following M profiles: M1, M2, M2/3, and M3).
- Medical profile
- A medical profile is the result of the last medical assessment in an applicant’s medical file. It is the code that denotes that an applicant underwent a medical examination and was found either admissible or inadmissible with respect to danger to public health, public safety and, where applicable, excessive demand on health and social services.
- Medical surveillance
- Applicants found to have a medical condition of public health significance during their immigration medical examination must report to the provincial or territorial public health authorities to undergo medical surveillance. The applicant’s medical profile indicates when medical surveillance is necessary (see list of surveillance codes). The Public Health Liaison Unit (PHLU) in IRCC’s Migration Health Branch notifies the public health authorities and obtains a notice of compliance when a client has started medical surveillance. The provincial or territorial public health authorities are responsible for the actual surveillance process.
- Panel physicians
- Panel physicians are authorized by IRCC to perform immigration medical examinations.
- Panel radiologists
- Panel radiologists are authorized by IRCC to perform, grade and submit chest x-rays requested for immigration medical examinations.
- Social services
- The definition of “social services” is found in subsection R1(1).