Streamlining immigration medical examination requirements for eligible applicants

Ottawa, October 12, 2022—Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has implemented a temporary public policy that exempts certain low-risk, in-Canada, foreign nationals from submitting an immigration medical examination (IME) as part of their application when their previous IME has expired. This supports faster processing of applications to help eligible foreign nationals quickly obtain temporary or permanent resident status.

This exemption applies to foreign nationals who have

• a new or pending application for permanent or temporary residence or a permanent resident visa, made from within Canada
• completed an immigration medical exam within the last 5 years and posed no risk to public health or safety, or reported to public health authorities for monitoring, as required

When submitting an application, applicants must provide the unique medical identifier number from their previous medical exam. The temporary public policy will remain in effect until October 6, 2024. Applicants who are not eligible under this temporary public policy are required to undergo an IME as per usual health screening procedures. IRCC will contact individuals who are not eligible for the exemption to discuss next steps.

With unprecedented interest in Canada from applicants all over the world, IRCC continues to set the bar higher for immigration processing. As part of this commitment, this temporary public policy helps streamline processing for low-risk applicants, aims to provide better client service and supports faster processing of applications, while effectively managing public health risks. IRCC implemented 2 similar temporary public policies between May 2021 and March 2022 that eliminated the need for a second IME. The measures simplified the application process resulting in cost savings and expedited processing. The first 2 temporary public policies benefitted approximately 85,000 low-risk applicants, and this latest public policy is estimated to benefit over 180,000 additional clients.