Executive Summary
The government has added and deleted countries from the list of countries whose residents must obtain a medical examination when seeking temporary residence in Canada for six months or more.
The situation
The government has updated the list of countries whose residents are required to obtain a medical examination (IME) when seeking temporary residence in Canada for more than six months.
A closer look
- Additions. Temporary residence applicants who have lived in Fiji, Singapore, or Tunisia in the past year for six consecutive months or more now require an IME.
- Deletions. Temporary residence applicants from Argentina, Bahrain, Belize, Colombia, Portugal, the Seychelles, Surinam, or Venezuela no longer require the IME, unless immigration authorities specifically request one.
Foreign nationals who submitted a temporary residence application to visa posts abroad before November 23, 2017 will not be penalized if they followed the guidelines that existed at the time the government received the application. However, the Canadian immigration authorities may request that these applicants undergo an IME.
Background
IMEs are required for:
- Temporary residents (workers, students, and visitors) whose stay will exceed six months in Canada and who were residents for over six months in one of the countries on the list; and
- Residents of all countries if they are working in jobs that bring them into close contact with people, including workers in the health sciences field, clinical laboratory workers and medical students admitted to Canada to attend university, among others.
The requirement to complete an IME is based on the tuberculosis rate in a particular country, according to the World Health Organization.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
Media mentions
In this profile published in Michigan Law’s Law Quadrangle, Counsel Christopher Wendt discusses the role of immigration in supporting the US healthcare workforce and expanding access to civil legal aid in Minnesota.
Media mentions
Director Isobel Neilson discusses how investment migration programs are evolving amid political scrutiny, regulatory reform and shifting priorities, with governments moving toward pathways that emphasise economic contribution, talent and stronger ties to host countries.
Fragomen news
Fragomen welcomes Counsel Christopher Wendt in Minnesota, bringing nearly three decades of immigration law experience, including more than 20 years supporting workforce immigration programs for Mayo Clinic.
Blog post
In this blog, Partner Rahul Soni explains the EB-5 grandfathering provisions under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 and why prospective investors should consider filing before the September 30, 2026 deadline to help preserve statutory protections and reduce exposure to future program uncertainty.
Video
In this video, Practice Leader Kate Praphakornphiphat explains the key requirements, documents, fees and processing time for a Thailand tourist visa, as well as stay duration and extension options for short-term travel.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and Talent Beyond Boundaries announce that they will jointly serve as co-chairs of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility for a two-year term beginning in June 2026.
Blog post
In this blog, Manager Gillian Gibbons and Immigration Consultants Gemma Oliver and Larna Kate Hadfield examine how Barnsley’s designation as the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town reflects wider AI and digital growth across the North of England, and why immigration strategy will be critical for employers seeking to access the global talent needed to support regional innovation.
Media mentions
In this Hong Kong Business article, Managing Director Magdalene Tennant discusses Hong Kong’s recent decision to allow employment and dependent visa renewal applications to be filed up to three months before expiry, a change intended to reduce the risk of work disruptions and provide employers with greater flexibility in managing foreign talent.
Media mentions
In this article published by Professional Engineering, Senior Manager Nadine Barnole examines how UK engineering employers can continue to access international talent amid growing skills shortages and a rapidly evolving immigration landscape.
Media mentions
In this Times Brasil CNBC Real Tech interview, Partner Diana Quintas discusses Brazil’s recent visa exemption for Chinese nationals, what it signals for Brazil-China mobility and how technology is helping support more efficient cross-border movement.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Business Immigration Manager Ayana Ibrahimi is joined by Lara Dyer, Chief Solutions Officer (Americas) at Talent Beyond Boundaries; Stuart Szabo, CEO and Co-founder of Beacon; and Jessica Turner, Co-founder and CEO of ThriveON, to discuss refugee labour mobility and employment-based pathways for displaced talent.
Video
In this Mobility Minute, Manager Maja Sugui provides an overview of key visa and compliance considerations for business travelers planning trips to China.
Media mentions
In this profile published in Michigan Law’s Law Quadrangle, Counsel Christopher Wendt discusses the role of immigration in supporting the US healthcare workforce and expanding access to civil legal aid in Minnesota.
Media mentions
Director Isobel Neilson discusses how investment migration programs are evolving amid political scrutiny, regulatory reform and shifting priorities, with governments moving toward pathways that emphasise economic contribution, talent and stronger ties to host countries.
Fragomen news
Fragomen welcomes Counsel Christopher Wendt in Minnesota, bringing nearly three decades of immigration law experience, including more than 20 years supporting workforce immigration programs for Mayo Clinic.
