The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) will commence an enhanced mandatory medical examination for all foreign nationals seeking to work and reside in the country.

The directive, which takes effect from June 15 of this year will include; testing for COVID-19 and will cover other permits such as Indefinite Residence, Right of Abode and Naturalization, as well as renewal of other Residence permits.

This becomes an add-on to the already existing medical examination undertaken by the Service as one of the requirement for acquiring Work and Residence permits by a foreign national.

An official statement signed by Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta, the Head of Public Affairs Department said, the enhanced mandatory medical examination was not only to help streamline and regulate the issuance of Work, Residence and other permits in the country but to also safeguard public health and security as directed by the Immigration Act of 2000, ACT 573.

"Additionally, the directive will help obtain information on the health status of immigrants and its consequence on the country's public health, and assist the immigrants to know their health status for them to take the appropriate steps to seek medical intervention or otherwise observe precautionary measures for a specific disease," it said.

It said the official fee for medical examinations for permits such as a one-year Residence permit for a new applicant, a four-to-five-year renewal of Residence permit, Indefinite Residence permit and Right of Abode for other African descents in the diaspora is GH¢1,100.00, whereas a one-to-three year renewal of Residence Permit is GH¢600.00.

All medical examinations for these permits would be done at the GIS Clinic located at its National Headquarters in Accra.