Canada | Immigration medical examination policy extended

The Canadian government announced an extension of a temporary public policy that exempts certain low-risk, in-Canada foreign nationals from needing an additional immigration medical examination (IME) as part of their application.

Key Points:

• The temporary public policy is extended until Oct. 5, 2029, and applies to those who have:
  • A new or pending application for permanent or temporary residence or a permanent resident visa made from within Canada.
  • Completed an IME within the last five years (which may now be expired) and has posed no risk to public health or safety, or has reported to public health authorities for monitoring, as required.
• Applicants who are not eligible under this temporary public policy are required to undergo an IME as per usual health screening procedures.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will contact individuals who are not eligible for the exemption with additional details and next steps.

Additional Information: IRCC officials stated that this measure supports faster processing of applications and improves client service for eligible foreign nationals. The temporary public policy has benefited more than 286,000 clients in its two-year inception period.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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