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Ontario|Immigration LawRefugees 685 Medical & Dental care for refugees
- Medical coverage for refugee claimants
Essential medical care for refugee claimants in Ontario is usually paid for by the Interim Federal Health program, commonly referred to as IFH. IFH is administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).
The IFH program provides essential health services for the prevention or treatment of serious medical and dental conditions, as well as contraception, prenatal and obstetrical care. It does not cover all routine medical or dental services.
The IFH program provides essential health services to the following people:
1. all refugee claimants, including those who are appealing a decision or those that are waiting for deportation,
2. children born in Canada on or after April 1, 1995, and who are the children of refugee claimants or failed claimants,
3. dependants of Convention refugees if they are included in the Convention refugee's application for permanent residence, and
4. people who have been approved for permanent residence after being accepted under the Post-Determination Refugee Claimants in Canada Class (PDRCC).
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) provides to individuals who qualify, documents entitling them to the Interim Federal Health (IFH) program soon after they arrive in Canada or when they make their refugee claim. People who have made their claims by mail in Canada face a long waiting period before Immigration puts their claim on the system and then recognizes them to be 'eligible' to make a refugee claim in Canada.
If found eligible to make a claim for Convention refugee status, the individual can apply for a health card under the Ontario Health Insurance plan, referred to as OHIP. OHIP is a public health insurance plan provided by the Ontario Government. Refugees can apply for OHIP by going to a Ministry of Health office. They must bring their immigration papers, proof of identity and proof that they live in Ontario. To prove identity, refugees can use a passport, and any other identification. To show that they live in Ontario, refugees should bring documents such as telephone bills or bank statements because these documents show their name and address.
- Dental Care
The Interim Federal Health (IFH) program also provides some dental services. If it does not provide the dental services the individual requires, he or she should ask about other sources of dental care in the community. Some universities and colleges teach dentistry or dental hygiene and provide low-cost dental cleaning and dental work by supervised students.
As well, some public health departments or community health centres offer limited dental services free of charge or at a low cost. For more information, contact the university, college, community information centre, community health centre, or public health department in your area.
To find out more about the Interim Federal Health (IFH) program, contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada. For information about different immigration issues, refer to other sections of Legal Line . If you require legal advice, you should consult a lawyer.
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