Can I bring ADHD medication into Canada as a newcomer?

Federal rules set specific limits on carrying controlled medications across the border

Health Canada's guidance on travelling into and out of Canada with prescription medications containing controlled substances describes supply limits, packaging, labelling, and declaration requirements that apply to anyone entering Canada with these medications, including newcomers arriving to settle permanently. The underlying legal authority for this is Health Canada's Section 56 class exemption for travellers importing or exporting prescription drug products containing a narcotic or a controlled drug.

• Keep the medication in its original container with the pharmacy label intact.
• Carry only the quantity that fits within the personal-use travel limits described in Health Canada's guidance.
• Bring a copy of your prescription or a letter from your prescribing doctor.
• Declare the medication if asked by a border services officer.

Border rules cover what you carry on arrival, not ongoing supply

Once your personal supply runs out, a Canadian pharmacy cannot simply keep refilling a foreign prescription. You will need a Canadian-licensed prescriber, such as a nurse practitioner or physician, to assess you and write a new Canadian prescription before your original supply is gone.

The Canadian equivalent of your medication may differ from what you brought

Health Canada's Drug Product Database is the official record of which products are authorized for sale in Canada, and not every formulation available elsewhere has an identical Canadian counterpart. A Canadian prescriber will review your history and discuss options within the same medication class, stimulant medications or non-stimulant options, if your exact product is not available here. Health Canada also runs a drug shortages hub with active supply notices, since availability shifts over time even for approved products.

An assessment with a licensed Canadian clinician re-establishes ongoing care

Finding Focus's adult assessment is a one-time $399 fee for a video visit of up to 75 minutes with a licensed nurse practitioner or clinician, using DSM-5-TR criteria and CADDRA-aligned practice. Because you already have a diagnosis and treatment history, you may qualify for 50 percent off the initial consultation, conditions apply. Ongoing prescribing and follow-up continue through an optional $29.99 per month membership or a $74.99 per-check-in fee without a membership.

Eligibility for this pathway depends on being physically located in a province Finding Focus serves at the time of the visit: Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Prince Edward Island. A provincial health card is not required for this private, self-pay assessment. Booking starts with the free screener at get-started, which is a screening tool rather than a diagnosis, followed by the full video assessment described on the ADHD testing and diagnosis page.

If your travel supply is running low and you are still waiting on a Canadian appointment, contact your new prescriber's office directly to explain the timeline. Clinics vary in how they handle short transition gaps, and being upfront early gives them the most room to help before you run out.

Confidentiality and record handling follow professional ethical standards, not just border rules

When you share medication and diagnosis history with a new Canadian clinician, that information is handled under the same privacy and confidentiality expectations that apply to any patient, consistent with the national ethical standards described in the CASW Code of Ethics for social work professionals and equivalent codes for other regulated health professions. Bringing organized records, such as a printed diagnosis letter, prior prescriptions, and dosage history, makes the transition conversation faster and more accurate.