Cancer diagnosis during IEC working holiday visa

[team_lee]

I entered Canada on my IEC last year and it expires in October 2020. I'm currently back in the UK and plan to return to Canada in April 2020 to use the rest of the work visa.

Since being home I have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had my thyroid removed as well as radio iodine treatment. When I return to Canada in April I will need no further cancer treatment except levothyroxine medication which I will bring with me to Canada. I will also need a blood test every 3 months which I can pay privately for. Will this be a problem for me entering Canada? (I may set off the metal detectors at airport security but I'll have a declaration form from the hospital to explain that I had radio iodine treatment within the last 6 months). I will also have full travel insurance. Please confirm as I would love to make arrangements and book my flights but I'm concerned I'll get refused entry at Vancouver airport.

 

[k.h.p.]

They won't refuse you entry for a condition that is under medical control.

 

[Bs65]

Just be aware you can only legally bring in 90 days of medication at one entry accompanied by the prescription note. Also advisable to declare.

See section 6.2 in following link

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-can...under-food-drugs-act-regulations-0084.html#a6

 

[team_lee]

They won't refuse you entry for a condition that is under medical control.

Thank you for clarifying. Will I need to prove its under medical control and how can I do this? Or do I just say I've completed treatment in the UK and they'll take my word for that. Many thanks

 

[team_lee]

Just be aware you can only legally bring in 90 days of medication at one entry accompanied by the prescription note. Also advisable to declare.

See section 6.2 in following link

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-can...under-food-drugs-act-regulations-0084.html#a6

Ok thank you for this. It seems my medication would be pretty cheap to buy so I guess I would just have to bring my prescription with me and a Dr could change it to a Canadian prescription. Do you have any idea how much this would cost to organise?

Many thanks

 

[canuck78]

Thank you for clarifying. Will I need to prove its under medical control and how can I do this? Or do I just say I've completed treatment in the UK and they'll take my word for that. Many thanks

A prescription label with all the information on your name, prescriber, directions for use, pharmacy name, etc. This is more of an issue in countries where you can buy medication without a prescription and controls. Also discourages people from putting a bunch of unlabelled medication in an unlabelled container.

 

[canuck78]

Ok thank you for this. It seems my medication would be pretty cheap to buy so I guess I would just have to bring my prescription with me and a Dr could change it to a Canadian prescription. Do you have any idea how much this would cost to organise?

Many thanks

Yes medication would be relatively cheap. Lab costs would depend on how many levels they are checking. Think many walk-in clinics charge around $75. You would need an appointment to order lab work and then another appointment. Not sure whether a walk-in clinic will be comfortable monitoring you given that the cancer is pretty recent. Although thyroid cancer is usually very treatable it does usually need some follow-up cancer screenings.

https://www.formulary.health.gov.on.ca/formulary/results.xhtml?class=683600000