/ Published in 2016, Operational Bulletins

The Eligibility


Last Updated on August 28, 2016

The chart that follows details the coverage available to each group of Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) beneficiary.

The People Covered The Coverage Type and Duration of Coverage
Resettled refugees who Individuals who are or were receiving monthly income support through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or its equivalent in Quebec including:

  • Government assisted refugees
  • Joint Assistance Sponsorship Program Refugees
  • Certain people whom the authorities are resettling in Canada as a result of as public policy or Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) considerations based on the Minister’s own initiative
  • Visa Office Referred Refugees who are part of populations nominated for blended funding arrangements where Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and private sponsors jointly provide funding support and,
  • Certain refugees sponsored by organisations with whom Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) enters into cost-sharing agreements

 

 Type 1 includes:

  • Basic Coverage – The authorities provide basic cover only until the beneficiary qualifies for provincial or territorial health insurance
  • Supplemental Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – The authorities cover supplemental and drug products and services as long as the beneficiary receives income support from the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or its equivalent in Quebec or are under sponsorship, but only up to a maximum of 24 months
Privately Sponsored Refugees who do not receive and have not received monthly income support through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or its equivalent in Quebec Type 3 includes:

  • Basic Coverage – The authorities provide basic cover only until the beneficiary qualifies for provincial or territorial health insurance
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern

 

The authorities provide these medications and vaccines for the duration of the sponsorship.

 
Children eligible for the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) who are under 19 years of age Type 1 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Supplemental Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – The authorities provide this coverage for as long as the children are under 19 years of age and are eligible for the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)

 

Note: The eligibility for Type 6 coverage for children depends on their immigration status
Pregnant Women who are eligible for the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) (excluding those eligible under Type 1) Type 2 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) beneficiaries would need to visit an Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) registered provider for confirming the pregnancy with the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) Claims Administrator. Only after confirmation would the authorities provide this cover and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)

 

Note: The eligibility for Type 6 coverage for pregnant women depends on their immigration status. In addition, this coverage lasts throughout the term of the pregnancy.
Victims of Human Trafficking who have a valid Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) under section 24 (3) of theImmigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)

 

 Type 1 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Supplemental Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – This coverage lasts for the duration of the Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
Certain people whom the authorities are resettling in Canada as a result of a public policy or humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) considerations on the Minister’s own initiative and who receive monthly income support through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or its equivalent in Quebec Type 1 includes:

  • Basic Coverage – The authorities provide basic cover only until the beneficiary qualifies for provincial or territorial health insurance
  • Supplemental Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – The authorities cover supplemental and drug products and services as long as the beneficiary receives income support from the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) or its equivalent in Quebec or are under sponsorship, but only up to a maximum of 12 months
Refugee claimants while their refugee claim is still awaiting a decision from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) – including any appeals of a negative decision on their claim Type 3 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. The authorities would only issue this cover when the authorities find the refugee claim eligible for referring to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). This coverage lasts until the authorities make a decision on the individual’s refugee claim and the individual has exhausted all rights to judicial review and appeal with respect to their claim – unless the authorities have suspended or rejected their claims. (Details on coverage for individuals whose refugee claims the authorities suspended or rejected have been specified subsequently in this table) and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
Ineligible refugee claimants who are eligible for applying for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) Type 4 includes:

  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. This coverage lasts until the authorities make a decision on the individual’s pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
People whose refugee claims the authorities suspend Type 4 includes:

  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. This coverage lasts until the authorities suspend the individual’s refugee claims and,
  • Type 6 coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME)
Rejected Refugee Claimants whose:

  • Refugee claims the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) rejected and the claimants did not appeal the decision and,
  • Refugee claims the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) rejected and the claimants have exhausted their right to judicial review or any appeal of that judicial review
 Type 4 includes:

  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. The authorities provide cover only until the beneficiary qualifies for provincial or territorial health insurance or until the individual leaves Canada
Rejected Refugee Claimants whom the authorities cannot remove from Canada as a result of a deferral of removal for generalised risk Type 2 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Prescription Drug Coverage – This coverage remains in force as long as the deferral of removal remains in place
Protected Persons who:

  • Receive a positive decision on their refugee claim or,
  • Receive a positive decision on their pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA)
 Type 3 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. The authorities provide services and benefits only until the beneficiary qualifies for provincial or territorial health insurance.
Positive pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) Decision for receiving a stay of removal Type 3 includes:

  • Basic Coverage
  • Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage – This comprises prescription medications and related products, only if the authorities require these for preventing or treating a disease that poses a risk to public health or for treating a condition of public safety concern. This coverage remains in force as long as the stay of removal remains in place.
People or groups granted Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) benefits based on the initiative of the Minister because of various exceptional and compelling circumstances In Canada, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) would typically cover:

  • Type 1: Basic, Supplemental and Prescription Drug Coverage
  • Type 2: Basic and Prescription Drug Coverage
  • Type 3: Basic and Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Prescription Drug Coverage
  • Type 4: Public Health or Public Safety (PHPS) Basic Coverage and Public Health or Public Safety Prescription Drug Coverage
  • Type 5: Coverage for persons detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act(IRPA) and,
  • Type 6: Coverage for the Immigration Medical Examination (IME) and,
  • Prior to arriving in Canada, the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) could cover the cost of the Immigration Medical Examination (IME) and medication or vaccines

This coverage would last for a period determined by the Minister.
People detained by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Type 5 covers the costs of delivering healthcare services and products for the duration of time in which the authorities detain an individual.

Note:

  • The Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage ceases when:
    • An individual withdraws the refugee claim
    • The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) determines an individual’s refugee claim as being abandoned
    • The authorities re-determine an individual’s refugee claim as being ineligible and where the claim is ineligible for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) and,
    • The authorities have removed an individual from Canada