How to remove medical restrictions from a work permit

When do I need the medical exam?

You need a medical exam in the following situations: Jobs that put you in close contact with people, such as:

  • workers in health-care settings
  • clinical laboratory workers
  • patient attendants in nursing and geriatric homes
  • medical students admitted to Canada to attend university
  • medical electives and physicians on short-term locums
  • workers in primary or secondary school settings, or workers in child-care settings
  • domestics
  • workers who give in-home care to children (nanny or au pair), the elderly and the disabled
  • day nursery employees and
  • other similar jobs 

> Here < you can find more questions answered for the medical exam

I did not do a medical exam as part of the application; I would like to do one now

This is possible and there are two situations if you are on a Working Holiday Canada work permit.  

You only have the POE (approval letter) and haven't activated the work permit yet

If the work permit is not yet activated, it is quite simple.

  1. You have to have an “upfront medical” done by a panel physician. The list of all worldwide licensed doctors >here<
  2. The panel physician will send the results to IRCC. 
  3. The results can take 30 days or longer to show up in the IRCC system. 
  4. This is why it is highly recommended to do the medical at least 4-6 weeks before activating the work permit, so that the government has enough time to receive the results from the doctor and they appear in the system of the border agency.
  5. From the panel physician you will receive an information sheet or an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report. 
  6. You take this information sheet with you and show it to the immigration officer where you activate the work permit.
  7. The officer will then issue the correct work permit without restriction.
  8. Please check before leaving the immigration office if the restriction is removed. This would normally be at the bottom of the work permit.
  9. You can then immediately start working in the job.

What if I receive a work permit with restrictions, even if I did a medical exam?

If you see the medical restrictions printed on the bottom of the work permit, there could be two reasons:

  • The border officer made a mistake and forgot to remove the restrictions in the system before printing the work permit.
  • Your medical exam was not taken in time and the results are not in the system yet.

If you did the medical exam at least 8 weeks before travelling to Canada, they should be in the system. Please ask the immigration officer nicely to double check and correct the work permit. They will usually admit their mistake. If they don’t budge, you have to apply to remove the medical restrictions. See steps below. 

You are already in Canada with an activated Working Holiday work permit

If you are already in Canada, it is more difficult and time-consuming:

  1. You have to have an “upfront medical” done by a panel physician. The list of all worldwide licensed doctors >here<
  2. The panel physician will send the results to IRCC. 
  3. After the upfront medical exam, you must submit a paper application by mail to change the work permit. 

An online application is not possible. It must be done on paper. 

Steps to change the work permit.

  1. Download and fill out the form IMM 5710 > here  
  2. On the IMM 5710 form, for 1 a), under “Details of intended work in Canada,” select “Other.”
  3. Also on the IMM 5710 form, for 1 b), under “Other,” write that you need the medical restrictions removed.
  4. In addition, write a short note/letter mentioning that you are participating in the Working Holiday Program and are asking for the restriction “not authorized to work in child care, primary/secondary school teachings, health service field occupations” to be removed from the work permit.
  5. Pay the $100 “open work permit” fee <here> and print proof of payment.
  6. Send the documents (application + explanation letter + proof of payment) to the following address:
  • Case Processing Centre Edmonton
  • Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
  • c/o Work Permit- IEC Station 404
  • Suite 55 9700 Jasper Avenue NW
    Edmonton AB T5J 4C3

7. Changing the work permit can take several weeks.

8. When you send your application, use a tracking number to make sure you get proof that your application is delivered to the IRCC office.

More information here under "I need to remove medical restrictions"

I applied to remove restrictions from an activated work permit; when can I start working?

Changing the conditions on an activated work permit can take several weeks. You are not allowed to work in the job until the work permit application is approved. This is why it is very important to decide if you want to work in those job categories before you travel to Canada.

As soon as your work permit change is approved, you will receive a PDF letter in your account where it mentions “Permit WP-EXT” and the validity date. You can start working in the job as soon as you receive this note. The nice and shiny original work permit will be sent via mail to the address provided in the application. 

You can find the official wording > here < on the government website (screenshot below). 

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