Immigration Medical Exam (IME)
Most Canadian immigration applicants must complete a medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician to confirm they meet health admissibility requirements.
Book Free AssessmentWhat the immigration medical exam is
The Immigration Medical Exam is a standardized health screening performed by a physician on IRCC's approved panel physician list — not just any doctor. It covers a general physical exam, medical history review, and standard tests such as chest X-ray and blood/urine tests depending on your age. The purpose is to assess whether you pose a danger to public health or safety, or would place excessive demand on Canada's health or social services.
When you need one
Most permanent residence applicants need an IME, as do many temporary residents applying for work or study permits longer than six months, and applicants from certain countries or with certain travel history regardless of stay length. Requirements vary by application type and can change, so confirming whether your specific pathway requires an IME — and when in the process to schedule it — is worth doing early rather than assuming.
How to complete it
You must book with a physician specifically on IRCC's panel physician list — a regular US primary care doctor cannot complete this exam even if fully qualified, because the results must be submitted through IRCC's electronic medical exam system (eMedical). For online applications, IRCC will generally direct you to a panel physician after you receive instructions; for some categories, you may need to arrange this proactively. The physician submits results directly to IRCC electronically, which is faster and more reliable than paper-based submission used in some other countries' systems.
Typical cost and timeline
Panel physicians set their own fees, which are not paid to IRCC and vary meaningfully by clinic and location — this is a real out-of-pocket cost worth budgeting for separately from government application fees. Results are typically valid for a set period after completion, and applying too early relative to your final decision risks the medical results expiring before landing. Figures change with each IRCC update and clinic pricing varies, so Mahyar will help you time the exam appropriately relative to your application stage rather than book it prematurely.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is booking with a doctor who isn't on the current panel physician list, which means the results won't be accepted and the exam has to be repeated. Another is completing the exam too early in the process, so results expire before a final decision is made — or too late, causing unnecessary delay at the final stage. Applicants with a pre-existing condition sometimes worry unnecessarily about admissibility; many conditions do not affect admissibility at all, and Mahyar can help set realistic expectations before the exam rather than after a concerning result.
This page provides general guidance and is not a substitute for personalized advice. Fees, thresholds, and processing times shown as ranges or hedged estimates change with each IRCC update — Mahyar will confirm your current numbers during a free assessment.
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