Applicants for permanent residence under economic streams can be found medically inadmissible if their health condition might reasonably be expected to cause ‘excessive demand’ on health or social services. However, the Federal Government has:

tripled the cost threshold for establishing excessive demand; and

removed references to special education, social and vocational rehabilitation services and personal support services in the way ‘social services’ is defined.

These changes remove barriers to permanent residence for economic class applicants.