Hello All, My spouse and I are currently living in the US working as a software engineers and looking to move to Canada this year (Vancouver BC). Last year I applied for the work-permit for H1B workers and received it last month. I came to the US for grad-school and then started worked here, and been here for the last ~13 years and love it here, but my reason to move to Canada is to get a sense of stability as I have a young kid now. Being born in India, my PR (greencard) application from 2016 is still backlogged and there’s no hope to it.
Now that I have a young kid, I need a sense of stability and be at a good place to raise a family, and think Canada would be the best place for this. But late last year, I was unexpectedly got diagnosed with an autoimmune condition that is being treated in the US. The prognosis is good for now but my doctor is unsure on how long this might go. I understand that there is a medical tests requirement for PR, I’m wondering if my autoimmune condition be grounds of my PR application rejection on medical inadmissibility grounds. I looked at the medical inadmissibility IRCC page, but I’m still not sure what the deemed cost of treatment for my condition would be and if it crosses the threshold they set. Currently I have a very good insurance and hardly paid anything for the treatment, not really sure what the real cost would be to gauge the set threshold (I needed few IV infusions last year and take 4 different types of tablets everyday). The only reason I’m looking to move to Vancouver is for gaining sense of stability and getting out of the visa worries. But if my PR application would be rejected in the future, there’s no point in uprooting my life from the US just to end-up in the same situation in Canada.
Question:
Is there a way to know if my condition would be grounds for rejection before I move? Is there a way I could get a private consultation from a Canadian physician to get their opinion on this? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Yes you can check before you apply for PR but you need to get professional advice. A registered immigration consultant can connect you with a doctor who knows the requirements and work to figure out what the cost would be, and if you’d be under the threshold. Sometimes, they also have some wiggle room (e.g. expected tax contribution is greater than the cost to taxpayers for healthcare and thus a discount is justified, or that a provincial program exists that would help pay in a way that reduces the financial burden on the healthcare system even after PR is obtained). That said generally autoimmune diseases do indeed pass the threshold unfortunately as treatment is expensive and the chance of disability is high. Still every individual case is different and it’s worth getting a professional opinion.
An example of an autoimmune successful PR case: Autoimmune disease (IgA Syndrome): is there a likely obstacle for medical exams? | Canada Immigration Forum
Thanks for your detailed response and link. Coincidentally the autoimmune condition that I have affects kidneys too called membranous nephropathy and similar to IgA.
If you have a serious medical condition, then moving to Canada may not be the best choice for you and your family.
You may be quiet surprised as to how inaccessible the Canadian healthcare system is compared to the USA if you have a good insurance plan.
Yes, I read about the wait times. Fortunately I think my condition is stable now and I have moved to bi-monthly consultations, regular lab-work to monitor and daily medication. I’ll get my doctor’s opinion on the prognosis and their opinion.
I was thinking if getting a Canadian nephrologist takes too long, I could do consultations or even travel to India every 3-4 months. I had taken a second-opinion early on in India and they had suggested the exact same treatment plan as in the US. So looked like a workable option.
As long as you have realistic expectations and contingency plans, I think you’ll enjoy your time in Canada. Not having to stress about your visa situation is such a mental relief.
I’m no expert but afaik medical inadmissibility is more for communicable diseases, think HIV and Tuberculosis. If you have a stable condition which is taken care of with meds, you’re likely going to be fine.