You can trace the practice of tattooing since ancient times. Though some people don’t appreciate tattoos, others see them as art. They get tattoos for many reasons, such as self-expression, rebellion, fashion, artistic freedom, attention, spiritual or cultural traditions, etc. However, if you’re applying for a Canadian visa, does your tattoo affect your medical exam result?
Medical Reasons You May Be Inadmissible to Canada
Whether for a short visit, study, work, or live permanently, you must undergo a complete medical exam performed by an approved panel physician. Wherever you live, you can find approved panel doctors. If you’re already in Canada, it’s not difficult to look for one, including an immigration physician Ottawa area if you’re nearby.
Here are the top three reasons the immigration officials may deny your entry to Canada:
1. Danger to Public Health
One of the Canadian government’s priorities is to protect its citizens and permanent residents, including their health. Based on your medical exam’s result, they will consider your laboratory tests and any other reports from medical experts designated by the immigration.
Also, your application may be refused if you have the following infectious diseases:
- Tuberculosis
- Active syphilis
- If you’ve been in direct contact with other individuals with infectious disease
2. Danger to Public Safety
If the result of your medical exam shows risks of the following conditions, they may see you as a threat to public safety:
- Unpredictable or violent behavior
- Loss of physical and mental abilities or sudden incapacity
3. Excessive Demand on Health or Social Services
Based on your medical test result, the Canadian government may also refuse your application if they think that your health condition can cause excessive health and social services demand. Your condition may be considered to result in an excessive demand if:
- The services required to manage and treat your health condition would most likely cost more than the excessive demand cost threshold.
- The health or social services to treat your health condition would negatively impact wait times for services in the country.
Who Are Exempt from Medical Inadmissibility to Canada?
The following are exempt from the excessive demand threshold:
- Refugees and their dependents
- Protected individuals and some people who their family sponsored: dependent children, spouses, common-law partners.
How to Improve Application Success?
Before your application, make sure that you meet the requirements to be considered admissible to Canada. Take time to research and understand the Canadian immigration medical examination process since your medical exam result is one of the deciding factors whether they will approve your application or not. Also, it’s always best to look for an authorized panel physician near you, as this Ottawa immigration medical exam facility.
Prepare yourself, physically and mentally, including adopting a healthy lifestyle. Most importantly, if you know you have medical and mental conditions that can affect your medical test result, consider working with medical and legal immigration professionals.
Conclusion
Since the Canadian immigration laws did not directly include having a tattoo as inadmissible, tattooed applicants should not worry. However, your panel physician may request you undergo an additional test, like the Hepa B antigen screening. You must also remember that some companies or employers may not allow workers with tattoos, especially offensive ones.
Ensure that you are ready and be prepared to explain what your tattoo means if they ask. If possible, look for a document that explains it. For instance, if you have a tattoo with your child’s name, you can present their birth certificate. Click this link to know more about Canada’s immigration medical exam process.
