Government revises high-risk medical list

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Canada has made changes to its list of countries at high risk for tuberculosis. The revision means that individuals who have lived in any of the countries for more than six months in the previous year are required to undergo an immigration medical exam before they can apply for a Canadian residence visa.

What does the change mean? Singapore, Tunisia and Fiji have been added to the list. Argentina, Bahrain, Belize, Colombia, Portugal, the Seychelles, Suriname and Venezuela have been removed from it.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate. The changes took effect Nov. 23.
• Visas/permits affected: Temporary and permanent residence visas.
• Who is affected:Nationals of any of the countries that have been added to or removed from the list.
• Impact on processing times: The medical exam adds to overall document preparation time.
• Next steps: Pending applications submitted before Nov. 23 will generally be processed according to the old list, but applicants who have been asked to get an immigration medical exam must do so.

Background: The Canadian government periodically updates the list based on World Health Organization risk assessment levels. Foreign nationals who have lived in any of the listed countries for at least six months in the previous year must undergo the medical exam in order to reside in Canada for six or more months.

BAL Analysis: Individuals who have lived in Singapore, Tunisia or Fiji for at least six months in the previous year should factor in additional time to complete an immigration medical exam.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

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