Releasing medical information

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Medical information is highly sensitive personal information. The privacy of each family member must be respected. Applicants and authorized representatives do not have a right to access the medical information of other family members except to the extent that such information is strictly required for the purpose of ensuring procedural fairness and for the purpose of the decision-making process.

Medical information may be released only in the following circumstances:

  • To the applicant - applicant’s medical information
    Officers may disclose to the principal applicant a copy of the medical officer’s diagnosis and narrative description of his/her medical condition.
  • To the applicant - adult family member’s medical information
    The applicant may be given the medical officer’s diagnosis and narrative description of the medical condition of adult family members but only if strictly required for purposes of procedural fairness and the immigration application decision making process. The applicant should only receive relevant information about a medical condition of an adult family member that will potentially result in refusal of the application or imposition of a medical surveillance condition.
  • To the parent or legal guardian - minor child’s medical information
    Officers may disclose to the parent or legal guardian of a minor child a copy of the medical officer’s diagnosis and narrative description of the medical condition of the child.
  • To an authorized representative
    Once the Use of a Representative Form is signed (IMM5476) and it has been determined that the representative is authorized, officers may disclose a medical officer’s diagnosis and narrative description of the medical condition of the applicant and family members to authorized representatives for purposes related to procedural fairness and the immigration application decision making process. The authorized representative should only receive relevant information about a medical condition that will potentially result in refusal of the application or imposition of a medical surveillance condition.
  • To a sponsor
    Officers may disclose to a sponsor the medical officer’s diagnosis and narrative description of the medical condition of a person to be sponsored, for purposes strictly related to procedural fairness and the immigration application decision-making process. Sponsors should only receive relevant information about a medical condition of an adult person to be sponsored that will potentially result in refusal of the application or imposition of a medical surveillance condition.
  • To provincial and territorial health and social services (excessive demand and medical sur-veillance only)
    Officers may disclose medical information of applicants and family members to provincial and territorial health and social services agencies only where required for excessive demand assessments and to ensure compliance with medical surveillance conditions.

Any other requests for release of medical information should be referred to the Health Branch at Headquarters

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