Immigration department staff have been cautioned against describing Canada’s health-care system as “free” in social media posts encouraging people to immigrate to Canada, according to internal emails.
October social media posts from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) read, “Thinking about moving to Canada? Did you know Canada has public health care? Learn how it works, who can get it and what services are covered.”
According to an internal IRCC email from April 2025, which was originally reported on by Blacklock’s Reporter, an employee said there were “sensitivities” related to promoting “free” services for newcomers on social media.
“Management removed that word from their ads as they are too public-facing,” wrote IRCC communications advisor Lindsay Tessier.
“Instead of fixing the crisis at home, the Liberals are running international ads bragging about a broken system to increase immigration numbers,” he said, adding that the post is unfair both to Canadians waiting for health care and newcomers being “sold a false bill of goods.”
IRCC spokesperson Isabelle Dubois told The Epoch Times in a statement that Ottawa is focused on “attracting the best talent in the world to grow our economy,” while simultaneously decreasing Canada’s population of temporary residents.
Dubois also said that more than 23,000 workers in the health-care sector have been invited to apply for permanent residence since 2023, which has allowed them to continue serving Canadian patients.
“We’re letting those we want to attract know that our country is a great place to live, work, and contribute to the Canadian economy,” she said.
Refugee claimants in Canada are entitled to health benefits under the federal Interim Federal Health Program, although coverage varies depending on status and province. Illegal immigrants generally have limited or emergency access through provincial programs. In 2012, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper sought to restrict prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage for certain refugee claimants, with then-Immigration Minister Chris Alexander stating the government should not provide taxpayer-funded health care to “fraudulent or failed refugee claimants, nor to all the visitors to Canada.”
The immigration department at the time said cuts to its Interim Federal Health Program targeted “failed claimants and those from safe countries like the United States that should not be entitled to better health care than Canadians receive.” A federal judge in 2014 struck down the order as “cruel and unusual” and a violation of “standards of decency.”
The House of Commons health committee voted on Sept. 23 in favour of a Conservative motion to study the impact of the federal government’s immigration policy on health care, with a report to be released in 2026.
