Statement of Need program for medical graduates pursuing postgraduate medical training in the U.S.
The requirements for obtaining a Statement of Need from Health Canada are subject to change as they are reviewed periodically by Health Canada, in collaboration with provinces and territories. Applicants should monitor this website for any changes to the Statement of Need requirements.
On this page
- Eligibility for a J-1 visa
- Statement of Need issued by Health Canada
- Who can apply
- What you'll need
- Application process
- When to get a new Statement of Need
- 2-year home country presence requirement
- No-objection or waiver letter
- Contact us
Eligibility for a J-1 visa
To find out if you're eligible for a J1 visa, contact:
Statement of Need issued by Health Canada
Health Canada issues Statements of Need to medical graduates who:
- have legal residency in Canada, and
- wish to pursue post-graduate medical training in the United States(US)
You will need a Statement of Need to obtain a J-1 visa to enter the U.S. for postgraduate medical training. Health Canada is only responsible for issuing Statements of Need.
A Statement of Need confirms that:
- there is a need for the medical skills in Canada, and
- the medical graduates studying medicine in the U.S. have confirmed they intend to:
- return to Canada, and
- practice medicine in their field of post-graduate study
A Statement of Need is not a guarantee of employment in a medical field or practice upon return to Canada.
Who can apply
Applicants must submit documentation verifying their Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status in Canada.
We issue Statements of Need under 3 categories. When you apply, you must identify which category you fall under.
Category A
You are a medical graduate currently enrolled in a Canadian specialty or subspecialty residency program, applying for a fellowship in the U.S.
Category B
You are one of the following:
- A final-year medical student currently enrolled in any medical school.
- A medical graduate from any medical school who:
- has not yet completed a medical specialty training program in Canada or the U.S., and
- wishes to pursue medical specialty training
- A medical graduate currently enrolled in a US specialty or subspecialty residency training program who wishes to pursue a fellowship in the US.
- A licensed physician in Canada who wishes to pursue a new field of practice in the U.S.
Category C
You are a licensed physician in Canada, applying for a fellowship in the same field of practice in the U.S.
What you'll need
To obtain a Statement of Need from Health Canada, you must provide:
1. Application form
Complete and submit the electronic application form. Include all required supporting documents listed in points 2 and 3. Read the instructions to help you complete the application form.
Application form for a Statement of Need to Support J-1 visa for U.S. Postgraduate Medical Education
2. Provide notarized proof of one of these Canadian government-issued documents:
- Canadian passport
- Canadian birth certificate
- Canadian citizenship card
- Canadian Permanent Resident card (valid)
- Proof of protected person status
3. One of the following:
- U.S. match webpage (including applicant legal name, program, school and appointment year).
- A signed letter of offer (including applicant legal name, program and school).
- A signed training contract.
Recommended optional document
Health Canada provides a list of names of physicians who have received a Statement of Need to ministries of health and physician recruiters. To be included in this list, you must sign a PDF consent form.
By signing the consent form, you permit Health Canada to share your personal contact information with:
- provincial and territorial ministries of health
- physician recruitment agencies
You can sign and submit the consent form:
- to Health Canada at the time of application for a Statement of Need, or
- at any time during your training in the U.S.
Signing the consent form is optional and does not affect the issuance of a Statement of Need.
Sign the form:
Application process
You can apply for a Statement of Need before your program start date in the US, as long as you provide all required documents.
We process applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Processing begins once we receive a complete email application through our secure file transfer interface.
The secure gateway will prompt you to enter your email address. You will then receive a validation email to confirm your identity.
To complete your submission, once you access the interface:
- fill out the subject and message
- upload all supporting documents
Access the file transfer interface
We strive to process all applications in a timely manner. Our service standard for processing requests for a Statement of Need is 30 business days.
We'll email you:
- if there are errors or deficiencies in your application that must be corrected
- when we issue a Statement of Need and send it to the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Health Canada emails the Statement of Need directly to the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program. We will send a physical copy to the mailing address provided in the application form through Canada Post. It is your responsibility to ensure that your mailing address is up to date.
Learn more:
When to get a new Statement of Need
You must apply to Health Canada for a new Statement of Need if you are:
- relocating to a different training site while remaining in the same specialty
- pursuing additional postgraduate medical training
- changing to a different medical specialty
- modifying training dates
- requesting an extension
You must apply under the same category used in your initial application.
Learn more:
2-year home country presence requirement
All J-1 visa physicians sponsored by Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for clinical training are subject to the 2-year home country return requirement, under the US Immigration and Nationality Act.
No-objection or waiver letter
Health Canada does not issue waiver forms for the United States' 2-year home-country residency requirement.
If you have a J-1 visa and wish to remain in the U.S. after completing your training, you are solely responsible for addressing all immigration and visa matters with the appropriate US government authorities.
Contact us
Contact the program administrator if you have questions about applying for a Statement of Need for a J-1 visa for medical graduates.
Email: j1visa@hc-sc.gc.ca