Purpose and scope of the IFHP
The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) provides limited and temporary health care coverage to some groups of foreign nationals who
- are vulnerable and disadvantaged, and
- aren’t eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance.
The standard program has 2 purposes:
- Within Canada, it provides limited and temporary coverage of health care benefits to
- resettled refugees
- refugee claimants
- protected persons
- foreign nationals detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- victims of human trafficking
- other identified groups where the Minister has granted coverage
- Outside of Canada, it covers some pre-departure medical services for refugees selected for resettlement in Canada.
The IFHP doesn’t provide health care coverage to all migrants in Canada who:
- are vulnerable and disadvantaged,
- aren’t covered by provincial or territorial health insurance plans or programs, or
- don’t have the financial means to cover their medical expenses.
It also doesn’t provide pre-departure medical services coverage to all migrants coming to Canada.
Limited and temporary health care coverage
Inside Canada
The IFHP’s coverage in Canada includes basic, supplemental and prescription drug benefits. Some beneficiaries in Canada are eligible for coverage of one immigration medical examination.
Outside Canada
Before arrival, refugees selected for resettlement in Canada are eligible for pre-departure medical services coverage, including:
- immigration medical examinations
- follow-up treatment for health conditions that would make them inadmissible to Canada (under paragraph 38(1)(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act)
- communicable disease prevention and control activities (like vaccinations)
- outbreak management and control activities
- medical support required for safe travel during transit to Canada
Standard program terms for IFHP limited and temporary coverage
IFHP coverage is limited and temporary. IFHP coverage reflects the temporary nature of the program and may vary by province and territory.
IFHP coverage isn’t exactly the same as public or private insurance, even though
- basic coverage under the IFHP is similar to health care coverage provided by provincial and territorial health insurance plans, and
- supplemental coverage under the IFHP is similar to extended health care benefits provided to social assistance recipients in provinces and territories.
The IFHP doesn’t cover the cost of health care services and products, even in part, if a claim can be covered under another public or private insurance plan or program. The IFHP doesn’t coordinate benefits to share costs with other insurance plans and programs. The IFHP doesn’t require co-payments from beneficiaries.
The IFHP is a last resort option. It only applies when no other health insurance plans or other payment options exist.
The IFHP doesn’t provide coverage to foreign nationals who aren’t part of an eligible group, unless they are granted discretionary coverage.
The IFHP doesn’t provide coverage to Canadian citizens.
Find out more about eligibility and length of coverage in Canada.
Discretionary coverage for individuals
Definitions
Governmental resettlement assistance means monthly income support received under the Resettlement Assistance Program of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada or its equivalent in Quebec.
Immigration medical examination means a medical examination required under paragraph 16(2)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and has the meaning assigned to the term “medical examination” in section 29 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Income support means recurring financial payments to individuals to enable them to meet their basic needs, including, but not limited to, food and shelter.
Protected person has the same meaning as in subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Refugee claimant means a person who makes a claim for refugee protection to an officer under subsection 99(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This includes:
- an individual who is awaiting a decision on whether their claim is eligible to be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
- an individual whose claim is determined eligible to be referred to the IRB and who is waiting for a final decision from the IRB on their asylum claim, including a claimant whose right to judicial review of a negative determination, or appeal of that judicial review, has not been exhausted.
- an individual whose asylum claim is rejected by the IRB and the negative decision was not appealed, or whose right to judicial review or any appeal of that judicial review has been exhausted. This also includes an individual whose claim is deemed to be rejected under subsections 105(3), 108(3) or 109(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
- an individual whose claim for refugee protection is determined ineligible to be referred to the IRB but the individual is eligible to apply for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA).
- an individual who receives a positive decision on their PRRA and receives a stay of removal.
Resettled refugee means a person who is a member of the Convention refugees abroad class, the country of asylum class, or the protected temporary residents class (as defined in Part 8, Division 1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations).
Victims of human trafficking means individuals who have been issued a Temporary Resident Permit as per Ministerial Instructions regarding the issuance of Temporary Resident Permits to victims of human trafficking and pursuant to subsection 24(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Coverage and benefits
The benefits are limited to health care services and products described under summary of coverage and included in the IFHP benefit grids:
- In-Canada coverage:
- Pre-departure medical services coverage:
Eligibility
Prior to arrival in Canada, refugees selected to come to Canada for resettlement are eligible for certain pre-departure medical services coverage.
In Canada, eligibility under the standard IFHP, including when eligibility ends, is described under determine your eligibility.
Termination of coverage
Coverage duration is described in detail under eligibility.
In general, coverage ends when:
- a beneficiary becomes eligible for provincial or territorial health insurance
- a beneficiary leaves Canada
- an individual’s refugee claim is
- withdrawn
- determined to be abandoned by the IRB
- determined or re-determined ineligible to be referred to the IRB and the individual is not eligible to apply for a PRRA
- a person detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act is released from detention and is not eligible for coverage as part of any other eligible group
- an individual’s temporary resident permit, issued as per Ministerial Instructions regarding the issuance of Temporary Resident Permits to Victims of Human Trafficking, and pursuant to subsection 24(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, expires
List of acronyms
- IFHP
- Interim Federal Health Program
- IRB
- Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
- IRPA
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- PRRA
- Pre-Removal Risk Assessment
- TRP
- Temporary Resident Permit
- Entire content available on: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/interim-federal-health-program-policy.html
