Immigration Medical Exam Guide for Canada: What You Need

Why Canada Requires an Immigration Medical Exam

Canada requires certain foreign nationals to undergo an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) as part of the immigration process. The purpose of the medical exam is to protect the health of Canadians, to ensure newcomers are not inadmissible on health grounds, and to assess whether an applicant might place an excessive demand on Canada's publicly funded health and social services. The exam must be conducted by a physician approved by IRCC, known as a panel physician. You cannot simply visit your family doctor for this exam; it must be an IRCC-designated panel physician.

Who Needs to Undergo the Immigration Medical Exam?

Not everyone applying to come to Canada needs a medical exam. Whether you need one depends on your application type, the country you are coming from, and how long you plan to stay. Generally, you need an IME if you are:

• Applying for permanent residence (virtually all categories)
• Applying for a work permit for more than 6 months in an occupation with close contact with people, such as healthcare, education, or domestic work
• Applying for any permit if you have lived for 6 or more consecutive months in a country designated by IRCC as requiring medical screening
• Applying for refugee protection in Canada
• Applying for a study permit in certain circumstances

If you are applying from within Canada and your immigration pathway requires a medical exam, IRCC will send you a request for your medical exam as part of the application process. The request will specify which panel physician locations are available to you. For applicants outside Canada, you complete the exam before or during the application process depending on the stream.

See also: How to Apply for Canadian Permanent Residence

See also: Canada Student Visa Guide

Finding a Panel Physician

Panel physicians are IRCC-approved doctors authorized to conduct immigration medical exams. You must use a panel physician on the official IRCC list. Using any other doctor will result in your medical results being rejected, delaying your application significantly. Find a panel physician near you using the official IRCC tool at secure.cic.gc.ca/pp-md/pp-list.aspx. Search by country or city to find approved clinics.

When booking your appointment, mention that it is for an IRCC immigration medical exam. Some clinics have dedicated IME staff and appointment slots. Waiting times at popular clinics can be several weeks, so book early.

What the Immigration Medical Exam Includes

Physical Examination

The panel physician will conduct a general physical examination. This includes checking your height, weight, blood pressure, vision, and a general assessment of your physical health. The physician will review your medical history and ask about past illnesses, surgeries, and medications.

Chest X-Ray

Applicants aged 11 and older are typically required to have a chest X-ray to screen for tuberculosis (TB) and other pulmonary conditions. If the X-ray reveals abnormalities, the physician may order additional testing. Active TB is a condition that can make you medically inadmissible unless you complete treatment.

Blood Tests

Applicants aged 15 and older are typically required to have blood drawn for syphilis testing. Applicants aged 15 and older who are coming from designated countries or applying for certain visa types may also be tested for HIV. A positive HIV test does not automatically make you inadmissible, but it is factored into the excessive demand assessment.

Urinalysis

A urine sample is required for all applicants aged 5 and older. This screens for conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and infections.

Mental Health Assessment

The panel physician will also conduct a mental health screening. Severe mental disorders that pose a public safety risk can be grounds for medical inadmissibility, though this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Medical Inadmissibility and the Excessive Demand Policy

There are two main grounds for medical inadmissibility in Canada. The first is a condition that poses a danger to public health or public safety. The second is the excessive demand provision, which applies when a person's medical condition is likely to cause an excessive demand on health or social services.

As of 2018, Canada raised the excessive demand threshold to three times the average per capita cost of health and social services per year, which translates to a five-year cost estimate. In 2026, the threshold is updated periodically; check the current threshold at canada.ca/medical-inadmissibility. Importantly, certain categories of applicants are exempt from the excessive demand assessment, including spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

If you receive a letter saying IRCC is considering finding you medically inadmissible (a procedural fairness letter), you have the right to respond with evidence such as a mitigation plan showing how your medical costs would be managed privately, letters from specialists, or proof of private health insurance. Do not ignore this letter. Seek legal help immediately.

How Results Are Shared with IRCC

One of the most important changes in recent years is that panel physicians now submit medical exam results electronically directly to IRCC through the eMedical system. You do not need to carry paper medical results to IRCC or to the visa application centre. The physician will give you a copy of your exam results for your own records, but the official submission happens electronically. This means you should confirm with your panel physician that results have been submitted before following up with IRCC about your application.

Validity Period and Costs

Immigration medical exam results are valid for 12 months from the date of the examination. If your immigration application is not finalized within 12 months, you may be required to undergo a new medical exam. This is a common frustration for applicants with long processing times. Plan your exam timing strategically, ideally completing it after you have received confirmation that your application is complete and processing has begun.

The cost of the immigration medical exam varies by location and panel physician clinic. In Canada, you can expect to pay between $200 and $450 CAD in total, covering the physician fee, X-ray, and laboratory tests. This cost is paid directly to the panel physician clinic and is not part of the IRCC application fee. IRCC does not reimburse medical exam costs regardless of the outcome of your application.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

• Your valid passport or government-issued photo ID
• Your IRCC Medical Exam request letter (if applicable)
• Your UCI (Unique Client Identifier) or application number
• Eyeglasses or contact lenses if you wear them for the vision test
• A list of any current medications with dosages
• Medical records for any pre-existing conditions
• Records of previous TB treatment if applicable

Common Mistakes Newcomers Make

• Booking with a doctor who is not an IRCC-approved panel physician
• Waiting too long to book the exam, causing delays in their application
• Not disclosing pre-existing medical conditions (non-disclosure can lead to misrepresentation findings)
• Completing the exam too early, so results expire before the application is approved
• Not requesting a copy of results from the clinic for their own records
• Ignoring a procedural fairness letter about potential medical inadmissibility

After your medical exam, your next step will likely involve police certificates. Read our companion guide on Police Clearance Certificates for Immigration to ensure you have all required documents ready.

Practical Next Step

As soon as your immigration application is submitted and you receive a request for your medical exam, visit the IRCC panel physician finder and book an appointment within 30 days. If you have any pre-existing conditions, gather your full medical records before the appointment so the panel physician has complete information. Complete honesty during the exam protects you from future misrepresentation allegations and gives the physician the best opportunity to present your health situation accurately to IRCC.