Eligibility guidance: Vaccine Impact Assistance Program
Last updated: April 1, 2026
This document is subject to periodic updates. Please consult this page to ensure you’re referencing the most current version.
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Purpose
This guidance document explains who can get support from the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program (“the Program”) in clear, easy‑to‑understand language. It helps readers learn how the main parts of the Program work. This guidance is based on the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program Policy Framework.
This guidance:
- provides general information
- does not create rights or entitlements
- does not replace or change the Policy Framework, and
- does not limit the decision maker’s ability to assess each claim based on its individual circumstances
If there is any difference between this guidance and the Policy Framework, the Policy Framework is the authority and takes precedence.
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Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for the Program, you will need to meet all of the conditions listed below. Each one will be explained in more detail to help you understand how they are applied.
- You experienced a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving a Health Canada-authorized vaccine.
- The vaccine was administered in Canada (except for Quebec), on or after December 8, 2020.
- You submitted a claim within a three-year timeframe.
What serious means
An injury may be assessed as serious if it:
- is life threatening or life-altering
- requires you to be admitted to a hospital (or lengthens a previous unrelated hospital stay longer than was originally expected)
- results in a lasting disability or major impact on your daily life
What permanent means
An injury may be considered permanent when:
- health care professionals do not expect it to get significantly better over time, based on medical examinations and accepted medical knowledge
What a vaccine injury is
For the purposes of the Program, a vaccine injury is a physical or psychological condition, such as an illness, disease, or disability.
An injury is first referred to as a medical condition until it has been medically assessed by the Program and determined that there is a probable causal link to a vaccination.
Probable causal link
A probable causal link means that a medical condition is likely linked to a vaccine, based on the available scientific and medical evidence, but cannot be proven with absolute certainty. This conclusion is reached when:
- the medical condition happens within a time frame that fits with what is known about how the vaccine works
- the type of medical condition is consistent with known or biologically plausible reactions to the vaccine
- there isn’t a more likely alternative explanation (such as another illness, medical condition, or another possible contributing factor)
- similar events have been documented in other people after receiving the same vaccine
Health Canada-authorized vaccines
The Program covers all vaccines, including immunoglobulins, that are authorized by Health Canada for the prevention of infectious diseases. Immunoglobulins are antibody products that can be used as preventive drugs. Products authorized solely for clinical trials are excluded.
You can find the full list of Health-Canada authorized vaccines in the National Vaccine Catalogue under “Tradename immunizing agents”.
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Where vaccines were given
Vaccines must generally be administered in Canada. However, vaccines administered outside Canada may be treated as if they were given in Canada when the vaccine is authorized by Health Canada and you’re a deployed:
- member of the Canadian Armed Forces (and your dependants)
- employee of the Government of Canada (and your dependants)
The Government of Quebec has a pre-existing program. If you were vaccinated in Quebec, you must apply for support through this program instead.
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: Government of QuébecThree-year timeframe
For a claim to be eligible for review, you must submit it within three (3) years of one of the following:
- the date of vaccination
- the date of death, in case of a claim for a death benefit
- when an injury develops gradually, the date a serious and permanent injury becomes apparent or
- when an injury develops gradually, the date when a link with the vaccine is established by credible sources
To help the Program assess your eligibility, your record of vaccination must show the date of vaccination.
If you are applying for a death benefit, a proof of death will be requested.
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For medical conditions that develop gradually after your vaccination, the claim form asks you to describe when your symptoms began, how they changed over time, and your current health status.
Because it is not always possible to know exactly when a medical condition began, the Program will determine the most likely date of onset based on the medical records you provide. When the date of onset is still not clear, the Program will determine when a link between the medical condition and the vaccine is established, using credible sources.
Credible sources
Credible sources meet recognized standards of medical or scientific reliability and professional regulation. For the purposes of the Program, credible sources include:
- treating physicians or specialists who are licensed in Canada and in good standing with their relevant provincial or territorial regulatory college, providing opinions within their area of experience and expertise
- recognized medical or public‑health authorities (such as the Public Health Agency of Canada, National Advisory Committee on Immunization, provincial/territorial health authorities, the World Health Organization), including their formally issued advisories, guidance, clinical guidelines, or statements current at the time of assessment
- Canadian government advisories or notices issued by federal, provincial, or territorial health authorities that relate to vaccine safety, adverse events, or causality
- published, peer‑reviewed scientific or medical literature (such as systematic reviews, meta‑analyses, clinical guidelines, randomized or well‑designed observational studies, and peer‑reviewed case reports), where the methodology and conclusions meet established standards, are transparent and the publication venue is reputable
Credible sources do not include:
- social media content, personal blogs, crowdsourced forums, or similar channels without scientific and scholarly sources
- unpublished or non–peer‑reviewed research, including preprints (unless later published in a peer‑reviewed journal), and any retracted or discredited publications
- editorial or opinion pieces, and advocacy materials that are not supported by peer‑reviewed evidence or official guidance
- opinions of non‑regulated health practitioners or individuals acting outside their scope of practice or expertise
Application of the three-year time limit for eligibility
The Program applies the three‑year timeframe in a fair and reasonable manner. This means that the application of the three-year time limit may account for situations such as a long hospital stay, where you can show you were unable to apply within the required period.
Exceptions to the three-year time limit
Outside of this fair and reasonable application, exceptions to the three‑year limit are rare and are only granted when there is reliable evidence that you were unable to submit a claim within the required timeframe.
When submitting a claim, the form allows you to explain any circumstances that prevented you from applying within the three‑year period. After reviewing this explanation, the Program may ask for supporting documents to help assess why the claim could not be submitted on time.
When deciding how to calculate the time limit or whether an exception is appropriate, a Program representative will consider whether:
- you have provided credible and sufficient information explaining the delay
- the delay was caused by factors outside your control
- extending the time limit would be reasonable based on all available information
Circumstances that may be considered for an exception
The examples below are intended to illustrate the types of circumstances that may warrant consideration for an exception to the timeframe, meaning situations where something truly extraordinary made it impossible for you to apply. These examples do not guarantee that an exception will be granted.
- A situation where you were legally or medically unable to make decisions for yourself for a significant amount of time.
- Prolonged loss of capacity: A long period where you were unable to manage your own affairs, for example, or experiencing a medical condition that severely affected your ability to understand or complete paperwork.
- Guardianship or being a minor: A period when your legal status prevented you from managing your own affairs, for example, being a minor or being under a court‑appointed guardianship, making you unable to submit a claim yourself.
- Delayed medical recognition: A situation where a diagnosis or medical understanding was not reasonably available within the three‑year period. For example:
- you could not reasonably have known the medical condition might be vaccine‑related
- your condition was not diagnosable within the eligibility period
- you were misdiagnosed, and the misdiagnosis could not reasonably have been identified at the time
- A major disaster that completely disrupted your life, such as losing your home to fire, flood, or another major emergency that destroyed essential documents or cut off access to services for an extended period.
- A severe personal crisis, supported by official documents (for example, a police report or medical note), that made it unrealistic for you to apply during the three‑year period.
- Being fully isolated or in a setting where you could not reasonably learn about the Program until after the three‑year period had passed.
Situations that would not normally qualify
The following circumstances would not typically qualify for an exception to the three‑year time limit:
- moving, travelling, or relocating
- administrative oversight or delay
- disagreement with medical advice
- personal preference to wait before applying
- short-term illness or other routine life challenges
- being busy with work, school or family responsibilities
- difficulty gathering documents when reasonable alternatives were available
- general stress, competing priorities or not realizing the time limit was approaching
- delays in collecting documents when the claim itself could still have been submitted
Each case is assessed individually based on its own facts.
Decision-making process for exceptions
Exceptions are reviewed by a designated Program representative. In assessing an exception, the Program representative may consider a range of factors, including but not limited to:
- Circumstances affecting your ability to act, such as medical conditions, hospitalization, cognitive impairment, legal guardianship, or being a minor.
- Barriers beyond your control.
- Any steps you or your representative took to seek information, assistance, or documentation, once you were able to do so.
- Equity and fairness considerations, including whether rigid adherence to timelines would result in an unjust outcome.
Decisions are made on a case‑by‑case basis and do not create precedent.
Once your claim and supporting documents are reviewed, you will be notified of one of two outcomes:
- If you meet the eligibility requirements, your claim will move to the next step in the process.
- If you do not meet eligibility requirements, your claim will be found ineligible and will not proceed.
A Notice of Decision will be sent to you explaining the outcome, the reasons for the decision, and any next steps or options for reconsideration.
Reconsideration of eligibility
If you disagree with a decision on ineligibility, you may request a reconsideration of eligibility. A reconsideration allows you to ask the Program to review the claim again. You must submit your request within 90 days of the decision and include:
- a statement that you are requesting reconsideration
- an explanation of why you disagree with the decision
- any new information or clarification that supports your claim
Additional documents may be submitted after the request is filed. During reconsideration, a Program representative will review the claim to ensure that all relevant evidence, new or existing, is considered and that no information was overlooked or misinterpreted. You will then receive an updated decision.
Record of vaccination
You will be asked to provide a record of vaccination when submitting your claim. This may be a digital or paper record issued by your province or territory.
What the record of vaccination should show:
- your full name
- type of vaccine received
- date(s) when you received your vaccination(s)
- province or territory of vaccination
If you are unsure whether the document you have is sufficient, the Program representative will review what you submit. If they cannot confirm that your document contains enough information to assess eligibility, they may contact you with instructions on how to locate or request an appropriate record.
If you do not have an official record of vaccination, you will need to obtain one from the health care professional or clinic where the vaccination was administered. If the vaccination was part of a mass vaccination campaign, contact your local public health authority to obtain the record of vaccination.
For information on how to access your COVID-19 vaccination record, please visit: