Instructions for completing a Statement of Need application 

Applicants should review these instructions before submitting their application.

View the form for a Statement of Need to support J-1 visa for U.S. postgraduate medical education.

On this page

• Part A: Personal information
• Part B: Medical degree
• Part C: Completed post-graduate training
• Part D: Proposed post-graduate training
• Part E: Agreement to return to Canada
• Part F: Consent to the disclosure of personal information to provincial and territorial governments for recruitment purposes
• Part G: Signature of both applicant and witness
• Part H: Submission instructions

Part A: Personal information

Full name

Enter your full name as shown on your proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency.

Contact information

• Provide your phone number and email address.
• Include your permanent Canadian address.
• Include a mailing address, if different from your permanent address.
• If both addresses are the same, write "N/A" under "Mailing address."

You are responsible for keeping your mailing address up to date.

Application year

If this is not your first application, include the year of your first application.

Application category

Select only 1 category.

Category A

You are a medical graduate currently enrolled in a Canadian specialty or subspecialty residency program, applying for a fellowship in the U.S.

Category B

You are one of the following:

• A final-year medical student currently enrolled in any medical school.
• A medical graduate from any medical school who:
  • has not yet completed a medical specialty training program in Canada or the U.S., and
  • wishes to pursue medical specialty training
• A medical graduate currently enrolled in a U.S. specialty or subspecialty residency training program who wishes to pursue a fellowship in the U.S.
• A licensed physician in Canada who wishes to pursue a new field of practice in the U.S.

Category C

You are a licensed physician in Canada, applying for a fellowship in the same field of practice in the U.S.

ECFMG/USMLE number or MyIntealth number

Provide your ECFMG number, USMLE number or MyIntealth number. If you don't have one, email the Exchange Visitor Sponsorship Program (EVSP).

Email: evsp-support@ecfmg.org.

Notarized proof of legal status in Canada

Provide notarized proof of one of these Canadian government-issued documents:

• Canadian citizenship card
• Canadian passport
• Canadian birth certificate or record of birth
• Permanent Resident card (valid)
• Proof of Protected Person status

Learn more about notarization requirements.

Part B: Medical degree

List:

• the name of your medical school and its country
• your graduation year (or expected year of graduation)

Part C: Completed postgraduate training

List any postgraduate training you've completed or anticipate completing in Canada or the U.S. Include:

• field of medicine
• name of university or hospital
• year of completion (or expected completion)

Include preliminary or transitional years, if applicable.

Part D: Proposed postgraduate training

The EVSP/ECFMG requires the exact name of your training program on the Statement of Need.

• Specialty training: Indicate the field (for example, internal medicine, family medicine).
• Fellowship training: Include both the specialty and fellowship title (for example, anesthesiology – pain medicine).
• Non-standard fellowships: Use the title from your offer letter or contract. Confirm the accepted wording with your ECFMG Training Program Liaison.

Part E: Agreement to return to Canada

• Read and check each section of Part E.
• On the designated line, state the field you intend to practice upon returning to Canada.

Part F: Consent to the disclosure of personal information to provincial and territorial governments for recruitment purposes

• Select whether you have or have not signed the consent to provincial/territorial recruitment.
  • If yes, include the signed Content Form for Recruitment.
• For the Consent Form for Recruitment (electronic signatures are accepted):
  • Complete the form on the Health Canada website.
  • Initial page 1 and sign page 2 in the presence of a witness.

Signatures required:

• Applicant must sign and initial all required sections.
• A witness must also sign the application.

Part G: Signature of both applicant and witness

Declaration

By completing this section, the applicant confirms that all information provided in the application is accurate and supports their identity and the training they intend to pursue.

Part H: Submission instructions

Use our secure file transfer interface to submit:

• your completed application form
• all required supporting documents

The file sharing service works in both official languages and will load in the language your browser preferences are set at.

The secure gateway will prompt you to enter your email address. You will then receive a validation email to confirm your identity.

To complete your submission, once you access the interface:

• fill out the subject (first and last name, Statement of Need) and message
• upload all supporting documents

Access the file transfer interface

We will only consider complete application packages for a Statement of Need. It is your responsibility to include all necessary documents at the time of submission.

If you have matched to both a preliminary year and a residency program, you must apply for a Statement of Need for both at the same time. Fill out a separate application form for each and include both in the same email.

If your preliminary and categorical programs are at different institutions, you must submit separate applications for each.

Notarization requirements

Have your document certified by one of the following professionals:

• Notary public
• Lawyer or attorney-at-law
• Commissioner of oaths
• Designated official at:
  • a Canadian embassy or consulate, or
  • an American, Australian or British embassy, consulate or high commission
• Licensed medical doctor or dentist in Canada
• Police officer in Canada (municipal, provincial or RCMP)
• Justice of the peace, judge, magistrate or mayor in Canada
• Professional accountant (APA (UK), CA, CGA, CMA, PA or RPA)
• Member of Parliament (MP), MPP (Ontario), MNA (Quebec), MHA (Newfoundland and Labrador) or MLA (other provinces/territories)
• Licensed pharmacist or professional engineer in Canada
• Municipal clerk at a Canadian city hall
• Minister of religion in Canada

The person certifying your document must not be a family member.

Most professionals will prepare the document according to their professional practice. This person must:

• see the original document
• make a photocopy of the original document
• compare the original document to the photocopy
• print the following on the photocopy: "I certify this to be a true copy of the original document"

This person must also write on the photocopy:

• the name of the original document
• the date of certification, his or her name, and
• their official position or title

This person must also sign the photocopy. Applicants should not sign anywhere on the photocopy of the document.

Once certified, submit the copy in your email application submission. Documents that are unclear or illegible may cause processing delays.