There has been a huge backlog of applications in Canada since the pandemic. With labour shortages lurking around the corner, the Canadian Government is taking all the steps necessary to allow more candidates to acquire temporary or permanent residence. Hence, IRCC announced that certain eligible foreign nationals would not have to submit an IME while applying for Canadian citizenship even if their previous IME expired.
You saw that right. If you are eligible for this new policy, you can apply for Canadian residence without submitting the IME. This promotes faster application processing. Qualified foreign nationals can gain temporary or permanent resident status easily.
Does this New Temporary Public Policy Apply to Every Foreign National in Canada?
No, this applies only to specific low-risk foreign nationals who can show the following documents:
- A new or pending application for temporary or permanent residence from inside Canada
- A completed IME within the last five years
This new policy has been effective since 5th October 2022. That means if you have completed the IME in the last five years before applying for the TR/PR status, you don’t have to undergo the exam again.
What are the eligibility requirements for IME Exemption?
You should be a temporary resident in Canada and apply for permanent residency from a Canadian province. Here are the rest of the criteria you need to follow:
- Mention that you are a Canadian resident on your application
- Submit a completed IME along with a physical examination that you have conducted within five years before submitting the application on or after 5th October 2022
- Show an expired IME
An Expired IME can fall into three categories:
- No danger to public health and safety (M1)
- Present health condition but no excessive demand on health and social services unless the assessment of M3 (M3)
- A potential risk to public health but is eligible to report for medical surveillance unless M2 or M2/3 has been assessed (M2 or M2/3)
Your family members need to follow the same criteria to make the most of this new policy. Remember, it is temporary and ends after 24 months.
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Have a word with our professional Canadian immigration consultants at Chharan Immigration if you have any queries about Canadian Immigration. We help entrepreneurs set up their businesses in Edmonton and Alberta. Our team also helps thousands of students and skilled workers to immigrate to Canada and fulfill their dreams hassle-free. From the study permit to Canadian citizenship, we guide you through everything.