Immigrants covered by Canada’s Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) will soon pay part of the bill for certain supplemental services. According to details first outlined in Budget 2025 and confirmed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on 30 January, eligible IFHP clients will face modest co-payments for items such as prescription drugs, physiotherapy and dental devices as of 1 May 2026. Core physician and hospital services will remain fully funded.
Prospective newcomers and the employers who sponsor them can also streamline the visa paperwork long before these coverage questions arise. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides step-by-step application support, real-time status tracking and dedicated customer service for work, study, visitor and transit visas, helping applicants arrive in Canada with fewer administrative surprises.
The IFHP provides temporary health coverage to resettled refugees, protected-persons claimants and some other vulnerable newcomers who are not yet eligible for provincial or territorial care. Ottawa argues that introducing user fees for “non-urgent extras” brings the programme in line with provincial health plans and will save an estimated C$68 million over five years.
![IRCC to add health co-payments for some Interim Federal Health Program beneficiaries from 1 May 2026]()
Settlement agencies acknowledge the fiscal logic but worry that even small charges could deter low-income families from seeking preventative care, thereby increasing downstream costs. IRCC says it will waive co-payments for children under 14 and for individuals deemed medically vulnerable, and will work with providers to introduce direct-billing arrangements that cap out-of-pocket expenses.
Employers that sponsor refugees or hire claimant-class workers should review benefit policies: private plans that currently top up IFHP coverage may see rising utilisation once co-payments take effect. Multinationals that participate in community sponsorship schemes are also advised to adjust onboarding budgets.
Diab’s department will publish the final schedule of fees by 30 March 2026, leaving stakeholders a one-month window to update internal systems. IRCC emphasises that the change does not affect provincial health eligibility rules or the standard three-month waiting period in certain provinces. Newcomers who transition from IFHP to a provincial plan will have their co-payment record automatically closed.
Prospective newcomers and the employers who sponsor them can also streamline the visa paperwork long before these coverage questions arise. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides step-by-step application support, real-time status tracking and dedicated customer service for work, study, visitor and transit visas, helping applicants arrive in Canada with fewer administrative surprises.
The IFHP provides temporary health coverage to resettled refugees, protected-persons claimants and some other vulnerable newcomers who are not yet eligible for provincial or territorial care. Ottawa argues that introducing user fees for “non-urgent extras” brings the programme in line with provincial health plans and will save an estimated C$68 million over five years.
Settlement agencies acknowledge the fiscal logic but worry that even small charges could deter low-income families from seeking preventative care, thereby increasing downstream costs. IRCC says it will waive co-payments for children under 14 and for individuals deemed medically vulnerable, and will work with providers to introduce direct-billing arrangements that cap out-of-pocket expenses.
Employers that sponsor refugees or hire claimant-class workers should review benefit policies: private plans that currently top up IFHP coverage may see rising utilisation once co-payments take effect. Multinationals that participate in community sponsorship schemes are also advised to adjust onboarding budgets.
Diab’s department will publish the final schedule of fees by 30 March 2026, leaving stakeholders a one-month window to update internal systems. IRCC emphasises that the change does not affect provincial health eligibility rules or the standard three-month waiting period in certain provinces. Newcomers who transition from IFHP to a provincial plan will have their co-payment record automatically closed.
