What Is the IFHP and Who Does It Cover?
Canada’s Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) gives limited, temporary health coverage to asylum claimants, protected persons, resettled refugees and a few other groups until they qualify for provincial or territorial health insurance or leave Canada. The program is funded by the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and administered by Medavie Blue Cross. There is no premium, but since 1 May 2026 beneficiaries pay co-payments: CAD 4 for each prescription and 30% of the cost of supplemental services such as dental, vision and counselling. Basic care — doctors, hospitals, lab tests and ambulances — has no co-payment.
The IFHP is not a program for regular international students. If you hold a study permit and pay tuition at a Canadian university, IFHP does not apply to you. It becomes relevant only in specific edge cases — for example, students who make an asylum claim while in Canada. This article explains who qualifies, what the three types of coverage include, and what to do if you are not eligible. All facts are as of October 2026.
Who Is Eligible for IFHP Coverage?
IRCC defines eligibility precisely. You qualify for IFHP if you belong to one of these groups:
Eligible groups (as of 2026):
- Asylum claimants — people waiting for a decision on whether their claim can be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), people waiting for the IRB’s final decision, people whose claim was rejected by the IRB, and some people eligible for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA)
- Protected persons — people who received a positive decision on their asylum claim or PRRA
- Resettled refugees — government-assisted refugees (GARs), blended visa office-referred (BVOR) refugees, joint assistance sponsorship refugees, privately sponsored refugees (PSRs) and refugees resettled under other initiatives
- Victims of human trafficking — holders of a temporary resident permit (TRP) issued as a victim of human trafficking
- Victims of family violence — holders of a TRP issued as a victim of family violence
- Detainees — people detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
- People covered by specific temporary public policies, or granted eligibility at the Minister’s discretion
Who is NOT eligible:
- Regular international students on study permits
- Temporary foreign workers on work permits
- Visitors on tourist visas
- Permanent residents (they apply for provincial health plans directly)
Example: Maria is a student from Brazil at Concordia University in Montreal on a study permit. Brazil has no social security agreement with Québec, so Maria is insured through her university’s plan, not RAMQ — and she does not qualify for IFHP. If she makes an asylum claim — for example, because returning home has become dangerous — her IFHP coverage starts once she receives an Acknowledgment of Claim, a Refugee Protection Claimant Document or a Refugee Protection Identity Document.
The Three Types of IFHP Coverage: What Each One Includes
IFHP coverage is organised into three types. What you receive, and for how long, depends on your eligibility group.
| Coverage Type | What It Covers | Co-payment (since 1 May 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic coverage | In-patient and outpatient hospital services; services of doctors, registered nurses and other licensed health professionals, including pre- and postnatal care; laboratory, diagnostic and ambulance services | None |
| Supplemental coverage | Urgent dental care, vision care, mental health counselling, physiotherapy, speech-language therapy, assistive devices (prosthetics, mobility aids, hearing aids), home care, medical supplies and equipment | 30% of the eligible cost |
| Prescription medication coverage | Eligible prescription drugs | CAD 4 per prescription filled or refilled |
Basic Coverage
Basic coverage is similar to what a provincial health plan pays: hospital care, doctors and other licensed professionals, lab tests, diagnostics and ambulances. It has no co-payment.
Example: Ahmed and his family arrive in Winnipeg as government-assisted refugees in February 2026. Basic IFHP coverage pays for Ahmed’s doctor visit for a respiratory issue in his first week. Once the family qualifies for Manitoba’s provincial health insurance, basic IFHP coverage ends and the provincial plan takes over.
Supplemental Coverage
Supplemental coverage pays for services that provincial plans usually leave out, such as urgent dental care, vision care and counselling. Since 1 May 2026, you pay 30% of the eligible cost yourself — the provider asks you for this share directly.
Prescription Medication Coverage
IFHP covers eligible prescription drugs. Since 1 May 2026, you pay CAD 4 for each prescription filled or refilled.
Practical note: Not every drug is covered. If a physician prescribes a medication that IFHP does not cover, ask the pharmacist or prescriber about a covered alternative.
How Does IFHP Compare to Provincial Health Insurance and UHIP?
This is the most important question for anyone navigating Canada’s layered health system. The three main coverage sources for people studying or living in Canada are:
| IFHP | Provincial Health Plan | UHIP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who funds it | Federal government | Provincial government | Ontario universities’ plan, paid by premiums |
| Who it covers | Asylum claimants, protected persons, resettled refugees, certain other groups | Citizens, permanent residents, some temporary residents (varies by province) | International students at participating Ontario universities |
| Cost | No premium; co-payments for prescriptions and supplemental services | No premium in most provinces; BC charges international students CAD 75/month (since 2020) | CAD 948/year (single, 2026–27) |
| Medical care | Yes (basic coverage) | Yes | Yes |
| Dental | Urgent dental care (30% co-payment) | No (most provinces) | No |
| Vision | Yes (30% co-payment) | No (most provinces, for adults) | Age-based eye exams only |
| Prescriptions | Yes (CAD 4 per prescription) | No (most provinces) | Only during a hospital stay |
| Waiting period | None — starts with your IRCC document | Depends on the province (none in Alberta; rest of arrival month + 2 months in BC) | None |
Key distinction: Provincial health plans cover citizens, permanent residents and, in some provinces, international students on study permits. UHIP is the mandatory plan for international students at participating Ontario universities. IFHP exists for a different group — people in the refugee protection system — and covers them only until they qualify for provincial insurance or leave Canada.
If you are an international student in Ontario and make an asylum claim, you may become eligible for IFHP; ask your university’s UHIP office how this affects your UHIP enrolment. If you later become a protected person, you apply for provincial health insurance (OHIP in Ontario), and IFHP covers you for up to 90 days after the positive decision or until your provincial coverage starts.
For a full breakdown of provincial rules and costs for regular international students, see our complete guide to student health insurance in Canada.
How Do You Access IFHP Benefits?
Step 1: Confirm Your Eligibility
Check your IRCC documents. Your Acknowledgment of Claim, your Refugee Protection Claimant Document or Refugee Protection Identity Document, your IRB decision or your resettlement documents show your immigration category — and that decides your IFHP coverage.
Step 2: Create an Account in the IFHP Portal
Medavie Blue Cross runs the IFHP portal (ifhp.medaviebc.ca). You need your unique client identifier (UCI) number — it is on the official documents IRCC sends you — and an email address. In the portal you can:
- check whether you are covered
- see what you are covered for
- find health care providers
- get more information about your benefits
Step 3: Find a Provider Who Accepts IFHP
Not every doctor, dentist or pharmacist works with IFHP. Use the provider search in the portal to find:
- Family physicians accepting IFHP patients
- Dentists registered with the program
- Pharmacies
- Mental health practitioners
Example: Fatima is an asylum claimant living in Toronto. She has a painful tooth. She finds a dental clinic that accepts IFHP in the portal, books an appointment and shows her IRCC document. The clinic bills IFHP for urgent dental care, and Fatima pays her 30% co-payment at the clinic.
Step 4: Ask About Approvals Before Planned Care
Some services may need approval before IFHP pays. Ask your provider to check this before a planned appointment, especially for medical devices, equipment or non-urgent procedures.
When Does IFHP End?
IFHP coverage depends on your eligibility group:
- Asylum claimants: Covered until you qualify for provincial or territorial health insurance or leave Canada. Coverage ends earlier if you withdraw or abandon your claim, or if your claim cannot be referred to the IRB and you are not eligible for a PRRA.
- Protected persons: Covered for 90 days after the positive decision, or until you qualify for provincial or territorial health insurance.
- Resettled refugees: Basic coverage lasts until you qualify for provincial or territorial insurance. Supplemental benefits and prescriptions continue until you no longer receive income support from the Resettlement Assistance Program (or its Québec equivalent) or financial help from your private sponsors.
- Victims of human trafficking or family violence: Covered until your temporary resident permit expires.
- Detainees: Covered while detained or in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency.
Before your IFHP coverage ends, apply for provincial health insurance or arrange private insurance.
IFHP and International Students: The Edge Cases
Most international students on standard study permits have no connection to IFHP. But three situations can bring a student into contact with the program:
1. Making an Asylum Claim While Studying
Some students experience changes in their home country that make return dangerous. If you make an asylum claim while holding a study permit, your IFHP coverage starts once you receive your Acknowledgment of Claim or claimant document. It continues until you qualify for provincial health insurance or leave Canada — including while you wait for the IRB’s decision.
2. Students With a Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Application
Some people study in Canada while an H&C application is pending. H&C applicants are not an IFHP group on their own. Unless they have also made an asylum claim or belong to another eligible group, they need to arrange their own health insurance.
3. Becoming a Protected Person
If the IRB grants you protected person status while you are enrolled at a university, IFHP covers you for up to 90 days after the decision or until your provincial health plan starts. Apply for provincial coverage right away so you are not left without insurance.
What to Do If You Are NOT Eligible for IFHP
The vast majority of international students do not qualify for IFHP. If that is your situation, here are your coverage options depending on where you study:
- Ontario: UHIP (mandatory at participating universities, CAD 948/year for 2026–27) covers medical and hospital care. Add a supplementary plan for dental and vision.
- Alberta: AHCIP with no premium and no waiting period for students with a 12-month study permit (or 6–12 months with proof you will live in Alberta for 12 months).
- Saskatchewan: Provincial coverage without a premium; it can start as late as the first day of the third month after arrival. Private insurance covers the gap.
- British Columbia: MSP is mandatory with a study permit of 6 months or more and costs CAD 75/month (since 2020); coverage starts after the rest of your arrival month plus two months. Private insurance covers the gap.
- Quebec: RAMQ covers only students from 11 countries with a social security agreement; everyone else uses a university or private plan.
- Other provinces: Rules differ — in Manitoba, for example, international students are insured through the mandatory MISHP.
For more on what these plans leave out, see our article on provincial health coverage gaps for international students in Canada.
Use our insurance comparison tool to compare private insurance options that cover Canada. Our insurance finder wizard asks 5 questions and recommends the right plan for your situation.
IFHP Mental Health Coverage
Mental health is often the coverage gap that surprises newcomers most. Provincial health plans cover psychiatry (a medical specialty) but rarely cover psychologists, social workers or counsellors. IFHP includes mental health counselling in its supplemental coverage — with a 30% co-payment since 1 May 2026.
Coverage is not unlimited, and you need a provider who accepts IFHP. Use the IFHP portal to find one.
Practical step: Ask your settlement agency or a refugee-serving organization in your city which mental health providers accept IFHP patients.
IFHP Dental and Vision Benefits
Dental and vision care are part of IFHP’s supplemental coverage — benefits that standard provincial health plans usually leave out for adults.
Dental Coverage Under IFHP
- Urgent dental care is covered as a supplemental benefit
- Since 1 May 2026, you pay 30% of the eligible cost
- Ask the dentist to confirm through the IFHP portal what is covered before treatment
Vision Coverage Under IFHP
- Vision care is covered as a supplemental benefit
- Since 1 May 2026, you pay 30% of the eligible cost
- Check the details of your vision benefits in the IFHP portal before you buy glasses
Example: Omar, a protected person in Vancouver, needs glasses. He sees an optometrist who accepts IFHP. IFHP pays 70% of the eligible cost, and Omar pays the remaining 30% — plus any amount above what IFHP considers eligible, for example for designer frames.
Frequently Asked Questions About IFHP
Can an international student on a study permit get IFHP coverage?
No — not simply by having a study permit. Study permit holders are not an eligible IFHP group. You must be an asylum claimant, a protected person, a resettled refugee, or belong to another specific eligible group. If you make an asylum claim while studying, your coverage starts once you receive your Acknowledgment of Claim or claimant document — not retroactively.
Do I have to pay anything under IFHP?
There is no premium. Since 1 May 2026, beneficiaries pay co-payments: CAD 4 for each prescription filled or refilled, and 30% of the eligible cost of supplemental services such as dental, vision, counselling and physiotherapy. Basic benefits — doctor visits, hospital care and ambulances — have no co-payment.
How long does IFHP coverage last?
It depends on your group. Asylum claimants are covered until they qualify for provincial insurance or leave Canada. Protected persons are covered for 90 days after the positive decision or until provincial coverage starts. Resettled refugees keep basic coverage until they qualify for provincial insurance, and supplemental and prescription coverage while they receive resettlement income support or sponsor financial help.
Can I use IFHP outside Canada?
No. IFHP covers health care in Canada. (Resettled refugees also receive certain pre-departure medical services before they travel to Canada.) If you travel abroad while covered by IFHP, buy travel insurance.
What if my doctor does not accept IFHP?
IFHP pays providers who work with the program. If you see a provider who does not, you may have to pay the full cost yourself. Use the provider search in the IFHP portal to find doctors, dentists and pharmacies that accept IFHP.
Does IFHP cover emergency room visits?
Yes. Hospital services are part of basic coverage, with no co-payment. In a life-threatening situation, go to the nearest emergency room and sort out the paperwork afterward — your safety comes first.
What happens to my IFHP coverage if my asylum claim is refused?
You remain eligible after the IRB rejects your claim: IFHP continues until you qualify for provincial insurance or leave Canada. Coverage ends earlier if you withdraw or abandon your claim, or if your claim cannot be referred to the IRB and you are not eligible for a pre-removal risk assessment.
Is IFHP the same as provincial health insurance?
No. They are separate systems. Provincial health plans (like OHIP in Ontario or MSP in British Columbia) are run by provincial governments and cover permanent residents, citizens and some temporary residents. IFHP is a federal program for people in the refugee protection system and a few other groups. It covers them temporarily — until they qualify for a provincial plan or leave Canada.
Summary: IFHP at a Glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who administers it | IRCC (federal), with Medavie Blue Cross |
| Cost to recipient | No premium; since 1 May 2026, CAD 4 per prescription and 30% for supplemental services |
| Who qualifies | Asylum claimants, protected persons, resettled refugees, victims of human trafficking or family violence (with a TRP), immigration detainees, some other groups |
| Do regular students qualify | No (unless they make an asylum claim) |
| Coverage types | Basic, supplemental, prescription medication |
| Dental covered | Urgent dental care (30% co-payment) |
| Vision covered | Yes (30% co-payment) |
| Mental health covered | Counselling (30% co-payment) |
| How long | Until provincial insurance starts or you leave Canada (varies by group) |
| How to access | IFHP portal with your UCI number |
| How to find providers | Provider search in the IFHP portal (ifhp.medaviebc.ca) |
Related Articles
- Student Health Insurance in Canada: Complete Guide
- Provincial Coverage & UHIP Gaps in Canada
- How to Choose Health Insurance as an International Student
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