Are there any specific medical conditions that will make me inadmissible to Canada? 

Vimal Sivakumar
Published: January 19, 2024

Although inadmissibility is more often associated with criminal convictions and behaviour, medical inadmissibility causes more than 1,000 immigration applicants to be denied entry into Canada every year.

This is according to Statistics Canada data from 2019. Accordingly, especially because “every [Canadian permanent residence applicant] and some temporary status applicants, [must] undergo a medical examination”, medical inadmissibility must be an important consideration for all Canadian immigration visa applicants.

Among the primary concerns Canadian immigration applicants have about medical inadmissibility is whether any particular conditions will make someone inadmissible to Canada.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

In short, there are no specific medical conditions that automatically make an immigration candidate inadmissible to this country. Instead, medical inadmissibility is determined based on three general principles. These principles will be detailed below.

What makes someone medically inadmissible to Canada?

After reviewing standard medical examinations (blood and urine tests, x-rays etc.), past medical records and mental capacity assessments, the Canadian immigration department can deem an immigration applicant medically inadmissible to Canada if they may:

1. Be a danger to public health

This determination is made based on medical exam results and the applicant’s health history

2. Be a danger to public safety

This determination is made if authorities believe there is concern about:

  • A candidate’s potential for sudden mental or physical incapacity
  • The applicant’s risk of unpredictable or violent behaviour

3. Put excessive demand on Canada’s health/social services

This determination is made based on the belief that an individual’s health condition will negatively impact Canada’s health and/or social services in Canada by extending service wait times or requiring excessive spending because “the services needed to treat and manage the health condition would likely cost more than the excessive demand cost threshold.”

The following three general groups of Canadian immigration applicants are not beholden to Canada’s medical inadmissibility rules for excessive demand:

  • Refugees and their dependents
  • Protected Persons
  • Certain family sponsorship applicants (dependent children, spouses, common-law partners etc.)

Note: Canada’s excessive demand cost threshold for 2023 is $25,689 per year ($128,445 over five years)

Can immigration applicants overcome medical inadmissibility?

A designation of ‘medically inadmissible to Canada’ can be overcome by individuals with certain health conditions, including but not limited to those included in the list below:

  • Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Crohn's Disease
  • Diabetes
  • Cancers
  • Autoimmune Diseases (ex. AIDS, Lupus)
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Autism
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Down Syndrome
  • Hepatitis B & C
  • Liver Disease

More information on the process of overcoming medical inadmissibility can be found here.

Getting help with handling a medically inadmissible designation

Canadian immigration lawyers can make it much easier to understand and navigate a medical inadmissibility designation. This is because trained and dedicated Canadian immigration lawyers can assist applicants with tasks such as:

  • Preparing necessary documents
  • Avoiding application mistakes & unnecessary delays
  • Communicating with the Canadian government

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
Canada-US to change border crossing hours at multiple ports of entry in 2025
Cars on the road ahead of a border crossing
IRCC’s backlog continues to grow as department looks to reduce immigration in 2025
A pile on paperwork
Criminally inadmissible to Canada? Options to consider before traveling
A sign indicating international arrivals for those entering Canada.
IRCC invites Express Entry candidates in third draw of the week
Cape Breton Island
Top Stories
British Columbia selects more candidates; Manitoba ends open work permit policy for PNP candidates
Canadian cities rank among best in the world for quality of life in 2024
IRCC announces transitional measures for some students changing DLIs next year
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Study
IRCC announces transitional measures for some students changing DLIs next year
A group of students pose on their college campus.
Study permit holders who applied before November 1 do not need to meet PGWP field of study requirements
the back of the head of a recent graduate, on the way to his graduation ceremony
International students outearn Canadian-born grads in top Canadian university, study finds
A group of diverse international students sit on a bench
Canada vs. Australia: Which country is the best choice for international students seeking immigration?
A collage with the CN Tower and the Sydney Opera House
Link copied to clipboard