Program delivery update: Acknowledgements of claim and upfront Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
July 29, 2019
The Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, which received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). These changes eliminated the “3-day rule” (for refugee claim eligibility determination) and created a new ineligibility that applies when a person is shown, through information sharing, to have made a refugee claim in another country.
In addition, the Government of Canada has committed to upfront issuance of Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage and immigration medical examination (IME) instructions upon first contact with an officer. Per section A99, a claim is received when made to an officer.
These developments have necessitated changes to the way refugee claims are processed when an eligibility decision cannot be made on the date a claim is received.
New instructions
- Acknowledgements of claim and upfront Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) coverage for refugee claimants