Can a health condition prevent me from getting permanent residence in Canada?

Under federal law, a person can be found medically inadmissible if their health condition is likely to cause excessive demand on Canada's health or social services. This is a federal determination made by IRCC based on medical examination results from a designated physician. Ontario has no role in the admissibility assessment.

The excessive demand analysis compares the projected cost of the applicant's care against a set threshold over a defined period. If projected costs exceed that threshold, the person may be found inadmissible. The categories of services considered include health care and social services such as special education.

However, medical inadmissibility is not automatic even for serious conditions. There are exemptions for spouses and common-law partners of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and for dependent children. There are also procedural protections — if IRCC is considering a finding of medical inadmissibility, they must give you an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made. A response plan showing that the person will not actually draw on public services can sometimes overcome the finding. This is a technically complex area of immigration law where early legal advice can make a significant difference to the outcome.