I am after some honest advise. I have an underactive thyroid and have just been diagnosed with high blood pressure, I am on tablets for both. My partner has fluid on the brain and has had an operation for a shunt to drain the fluid, plus takes tablets (some years ago). We will both be on our medication for the rest of our lives. Firstly, does anyone know if this will effect our immigration forms to become residents of Canada? Secondly, I do not want our savings to be swallowed up by medical bills once we get over there, if we can get in because we both need regular medical tests to keep our medication right. I am 37 and my partner is 50. We will be looking to put the forms in in 2012. Please tell me if I am worrying unnecessarily.

I suspect that passing the medical requirements may be an issue if those are ongoing issues. As a general rule if you dont exceed about $5k a year expected expense to the system then its OK, b ut even then paying for your drugs here is going to be a drag, and no one is going to insure a pre existing condition privately... So that leaves landing a job with a benefits package, as mostly those dont care about preexisting in Canada (not yet anyway...)

Its say you are right to be concerned, but with medical issues there is no way to say definitely other than to try.

I would say your concerns are quite valid. Before spending the money on your application, it may be worthwhile to do some deeper investigation on what your chances of success are.

Thank you. That's exactly what I thought, but do you know where I could get that info from. I have been to see a consultant but they are going to sell the Canada dream, aren't they.

You could go see one of the designated medical practitioners who do the medical exams and pay then for a candid assesment of your chances perhaps?

The problem is that the whole medical requirement thing is shrouded in mystique. Somewhere on the www is the medical handbook, someone posted a link in immigration once, but it was rather inpenetrable as I recall.

Maybe you could also post in the immigration specific forum here for a second opinion from the experts who have seen it all before?

If you can find a "no visa no fee" type of consultant then they would be unlikely to take you on if they didnt think you has a chance, but many people prefer to apply DIY to avoid the additional expense...

This is the 09 edition http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/dmp-handbook.pdf

I think your idea of having the meds done for an assessment is the better one.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/dmp-md/medicali...ryName=England

Depending on your dosage and what you are taking, meds may not be too expensive. I take thyroxine 200mcg daily and a prescription costs about $25 every 3 months. If you do a search for prescription costs will give you an idea what others are paying for different meds

Also check where you are going. In Northern SK and AB where I am now it is impossible to find even a family physician. Not one of them takes new patients, and I have been here for 18 months now. This is not only a problem for immigrants but also for Canadians.