Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that, beginning 1 May 2026, beneficiaries of the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) will start paying modest co-payments on certain supplemental health services. The measure—first signalled in Budget 2025—will see IFHP clients pay a flat C$4 for each prescription drug and shoulder 30 percent of the cost of items such as dental and vision care, counselling, and assistive devices. Basic physician and hospital services will remain free at the point of use, and province-of-residence coverage is unaffected. (m.economictimes.com)
IRCC says demand for IFHP benefits has grown sharply as Canada admits larger numbers of refugees, humanitarian entrants and other vulnerable migrants. The department argues that a small cost-sharing formula will help keep the programme financially sustainable while still protecting access to core care. In FY 2024–25, IFHP spending exceeded C$145 million—triple the outlay recorded five years earlier. (m.economictimes.com)
![Canada to introduce health co-payments for some immigrants under the Interim Federal Health Program]()
Settlement agencies broadly support the principle of cost containment but warn that even small out-of-pocket charges can deter low-income newcomers from seeking preventive treatment, potentially driving up emergency-room costs. Employers that sponsor refugee talent under Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) are also watching closely, as they often fund supplemental benefits during an employee’s first year in Canada. (m.economictimes.com)
For refugees and other newcomers planning their move, services like VisaHQ can streamline the visa and work-permit paperwork long before health-care questions arise. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step guidance, document checklists and real-time status tracking, helping applicants avoid delays and focus on preparing for changes such as the upcoming IFHP co-payments.
Practical next steps for mobility managers include updating relocation budgets to reflect possible co-payments, circulating IRCC’s new IFHP toolkit to assignees, and verifying that preferred medical providers are registered with Medavie Blue Cross—the third-party administrator that will collect co-payments. Companies should also review whether private plans will reimburse the 30 percent share for dental or vision expenses. (m.economictimes.com)
IRCC says demand for IFHP benefits has grown sharply as Canada admits larger numbers of refugees, humanitarian entrants and other vulnerable migrants. The department argues that a small cost-sharing formula will help keep the programme financially sustainable while still protecting access to core care. In FY 2024–25, IFHP spending exceeded C$145 million—triple the outlay recorded five years earlier. (m.economictimes.com)
Settlement agencies broadly support the principle of cost containment but warn that even small out-of-pocket charges can deter low-income newcomers from seeking preventive treatment, potentially driving up emergency-room costs. Employers that sponsor refugee talent under Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) are also watching closely, as they often fund supplemental benefits during an employee’s first year in Canada. (m.economictimes.com)
For refugees and other newcomers planning their move, services like VisaHQ can streamline the visa and work-permit paperwork long before health-care questions arise. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers step-by-step guidance, document checklists and real-time status tracking, helping applicants avoid delays and focus on preparing for changes such as the upcoming IFHP co-payments.
Practical next steps for mobility managers include updating relocation budgets to reflect possible co-payments, circulating IRCC’s new IFHP toolkit to assignees, and verifying that preferred medical providers are registered with Medavie Blue Cross—the third-party administrator that will collect co-payments. Companies should also review whether private plans will reimburse the 30 percent share for dental or vision expenses. (m.economictimes.com)
