The Immigration Medical Exam: What Happens and What Panel Physicians Actually Report

If your application requires one, the immigration medical exam can feel like an unfamiliar step in an already unfamiliar process. Unlike a regular family doctor visit, this exam is performed by a specific type of physician, follows a set format, and produces a report that goes directly to Canadian immigration authorities rather than into your personal medical file.

Here's a first-time walkthrough of what actually happens, who needs to complete this step, and what happens to the results afterward.

Who Needs an Immigration Medical Exam

Most applicants for permanent residence need to complete one, and many temporary residents do as well, depending on the length and type of their intended stay and, in some cases, where they've recently lived. Because the specific categories and triggers can change, don't assume you're exempt just because a friend in a similar situation wasn't asked for one — confirm your own requirement directly.

Who Can Perform the Exam

Only a physician designated by IRCC as a panel physician can conduct an immigration medical exam — your regular family doctor cannot complete this exam on IRCC's behalf, even if they're fully licensed to practise medicine generally. You'll need to locate an approved panel physician and book your appointment directly with their office.

Before Your Appointment: What to Bring

• [ ] Valid government-issued photo identification
• [ ] Your IRCC-generated medical exam instructions or upfront medical report form, if one was provided
• [ ] A list of current medications and dosages
• [ ] Copies of relevant medical records, especially for any ongoing or chronic condition
• [ ] Eyeglasses or contact lenses, if you use them, for any vision screening
• [ ] Payment for the exam fee, which is paid directly to the clinic, not to IRCC

What Happens During the Exam

1. Medical history review. The physician or clinic staff will ask about your medical history, current conditions, medications, and relevant family history.
2. Physical examination. This typically includes a general physical exam and may include vision and hearing screening.
3. Additional testing, if required. Depending on factors like your age and medical history, the physician may order additional tests such as a chest x-ray, blood work, or urine testing.
4. Documentation. The physician records findings using IRCC's standard forms rather than a typical clinical chart, since the report is built specifically for immigration purposes.

Exactly which additional tests apply to you can depend on criteria that are reviewed periodically, so don't assume your exam will mirror exactly what a friend or family member describes from their own experience.

What the Panel Physician Reports to IRCC

Once your exam is complete, the panel physician submits the results directly to IRCC, generally through an electronic system rather than by giving you a copy to forward yourself. Applicants typically don't see the physician's full medical opinion or classification — the report goes to an IRCC medical officer, who reviews it and makes any necessary determination about medical admissibility.

If the medical officer has questions or wants additional information, IRCC may follow up with you directly, sometimes well after the appointment itself, rather than through the clinic.

How Long Results Stay Valid

Medical exam results are valid for a limited period before they expire, after which a new exam would be required. Because how long that period lasts can change and depends on the type of application, confirm the current validity window for your specific situation rather than assuming an old exam will still be accepted.

What Happens If a Concern Is Flagged

If your results raise a possible concern under one of the medical inadmissibility grounds, IRCC will typically notify you and give you an opportunity to respond before any final decision is made. What that response looks like depends on which ground is involved — a cost-related concern calls for different evidence than a concern about active transmission risk or unpredictable behaviour, for example. Whatever the specifics, treat any such notice as time-sensitive and get legal advice promptly.

Frequently asked questions