Some in-Canada applicants are temporarily exempt from medical exams
Immigration Canada has put in place a temporary public policy that exempts some applicants from having medical exams. The temporary guideline is in effect until December 28, 2021.
As part of the application for permanent residence, applicants needed to provide an immigration medical exam or a medical identifier number from their previous medical exam.
Applicants exempt from medical exams
This new temporary public policy applies to in-Canada foreign nationals who:
- Have submitted a new application for permanent residence or for a permanent resident visa.
- Or have a pending application for permanent residence and have not yet completed a new immigration medical exam.
- They have completed an immigration medical exam within the last 5 years and were found to pose no risk to public health or safety, or complied with a requirement to report to public health authorities for monitoring.
- And have not left Canada for more than 6 months in the last year to live in a country that has a higher incidence of a serious communicable disease than Canada.
The last point refers to the federal government’s list of countries requiring an immigration medical exam.
Applicants’ family members who live in Canada may also be eligible under this policy. They need to meet the criteria listed above. As for people whose results cannot be used, IRCC will contact them to discuss next steps.
According to IRCC, these measures will help streamline application processing for low-risk in-Canada applicants, while effectively managing public health risks.
“They will also help provide better client service, support faster application timelines, and ensure foreign nationals can more quickly receive permanent resident status.” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said.
During the pandemic, the government has focused its efforts on pathways to permanent residence for temporary residents. Those applicants are more likely to already be living in Canada.
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