Program delivery update: Public policy implementation for excessive demand and the centralization of files – June 1, 2018

The program delivery instructions on excessive demand on health services and on social services have been updated to reflect new processes and procedures established in the Temporary Public Policy Regarding Excessive Demand on Health and Social Services (public policy), effective today, June 1, 2018.

This public policy promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities in Canadian society. It also removes a barrier for many people who require health and social services and could also contribute to Canada’s social and economic fabric. At the same time, the policy continues to protect health and social services for Canadians. It was established pursuant to authorities under section A25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and allows officers to exempt from the application of paragraph A38(1)(c) individuals who meet the conditions set by the Minister in the temporary public policy.

These detailed instructions are for:

• Migration Health Branch medical officers
• final decision makers at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• border services officers

Process and procedural changes include the following:

• The centralization of applications where a possible medical inadmissibility still exists after consideration of the public policy at the Domestic Network’s Humanitarian Migration and Integrity Division at the IRCC Niagara Falls office. Centralization will promote consistency in the way final decisions on these cases are made.
• The development of new procedural fairness letter templates that reflect the changes made under the public policy and that allow applicants to understand better what is needed in situations where a potential inadmissibility needs to be addressed.

These changes are the result of the department’s recent review of the excessive demand policy, as specified in paragraph A38(1)(c) and subsection A38(2) and as defined by section R1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Updated instructions

• Excessive demand on health services and on social services