Information for International Medical Graduates

The information below is geared to international medical graduates looking to begin the process of obtaining a licence to practise medicine in Canada. Individuals are always encouraged to contact the medical regulatory authority in the province or territory in which they would like to practise. They should also contact the international medical graduate program in the province they would like to practise, if such a program exists. We have included links to these organizations on our website.

There are general steps that international medical graduates should take before arriving in Canada, and steps they should take after their arrival. This information is summarized below.

The Working in Canada website also includes province and territory-specific information that may interest international medical graduates.

Canada-Bound International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

You can start the licensure process from outside Canada by:

1. Confirming that your medical degree is from a recognized medical school.
2. Taking an online self-assessment exam.
3. Submitting your credentials with the Medical Council of Canada's (MCC) Physician Credentials Repository.
4. Taking the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE).

Most health care organizations refer to physicians who have received their medical education abroad as international medical graduates (IMGs). The Medical Council of Canada defines an international medical graduate as an individual who has graduated from a medical school not accredited in Canada or in the U.S. (by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools or by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the U.S.). Graduates of a U.S. School of Osteopathic Medicine accredited by the American Osteopathic Association are considered IMGs.

1. Confirm that your medical degree is from a recognized medical school

Visit the International Medical Education Directory (IMED), part of the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research's (FAIMER) website. Your medical school, the name of the medical degree and the year of your graduation must be listed on the FAIMER International Medical Education Directory to be accepted in Canada.

2. Are you exam ready?

IMGs can test their readiness for the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) through the Medical Council of Canada Self Administered Evaluating Examination (SAE - EE). IMGs who take the SAE - EE will receive the number of questions correctly answered as well as a percentile table that compares their performance to the results achieved by other MCCEE candidates.

Fees: C$60 per examination

3. Submit your credentials

IMGs can use the MCC's Physician Credentials Repository to establish a confidential professional electronic portfolio of their credentials prior to arriving in Canada. IMGs can request that the Repository share their portfolio with provincial/territorial medical regulatory authorities, certifying and qualifying bodies. The MCC requires IMGs who are applying for the first time to the MCCEE to open an application with the Physician Credentials Repository and send a certified copy of their final medical diploma. The diploma must be successfully source verified through the Repository for the candidate to be eligible to the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part II.

Fees: To open a Repository account, IMGs are charged a one-time account fee of C$250. C$100 is charged for each of the first four medical documents submitted for source verification. C$60 is charged for each subsequent document.
Note: Document fees are in addition to the account fee.

4. Take the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE)

IMGs must pass the MCCEE to apply for a residency position through the Canadian Resident Matching Service. The MCCEE is offered in 500 sites in more than 70 countries. For a list of countries where the MCCEE is offered, please see Prometric centers -- List of countries.

If IMGs have obtained Canadian or American board specialty certification, they may apply to the Medical Council of Canada for an exemption from the MCCEE.

Fees: First time MCCEE candidates are charged C$1,500; C$1,300 is charged for IMGs who reapply for the MCCEE.

Note: The MCC requires all first-time MCCEE candidates to open an application with the MCC's Physician Credentials Repository and send a certified copy of their medical diploma.

Required exams available once in Canada

IMGs are required to pass the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part I and Part II (additional fees apply). Candidates may also take a self-assessment exam to help prepare for the multiple-choice component of the MCCQE Part I. This self-assessment is offered over the Internet and can be completed prior to arriving in Canada. The MCCQE Part I and the MCCQE Part II are administered in Canada and are the same requirements for graduates from Canadian faculties of medicine. All jurisdictions also require a minimum of two years of postgraduate training for licensure. When IMGs pass the MCCQE Part II, they are awarded the Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada. The Licentiate is one of the prerequisites of provincial and territorial medical regulatory authorities for awarding independent practice licences.