Express Entry Applicants No Longer Need Upfront Medical Exam

Good news for Express Entry applicants! Effective October 1st, a significant change has been introduced for Express Entry applicants seeking permanent residence—a pre-submission medical examination is no longer mandatory. This update allows for a smoother application process, giving applicants more flexibility and reducing upfront requirements.

Applicants who have not undergone an immigrant medical exam (IME) can now simply upload a blank document in the designated field of the Express Entry profile Builder during the application submission. Following this, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will issue instructions on when and how to proceed with the medical examination.

For those who have previously completed an IME, especially for purposes such as work or study, and are currently residing in Canada, there is no need for an additional medical exam when applying for permanent residence.

About the Immigrant Medical Exam (IME)

Understanding the IME process is crucial for applicants. It is mandatory for both the principal applicant and their family members, even if they are not accompanying the principal applicant to Canada.

Applicants must visit a panel physician approved by IRCC for the medical exam. The panel physician’s role is to conduct the examination, but the final decision rests with IRCC. An application for permanent residence may be denied if the applicant’s health poses a risk to public health and safety in Canada or if it could strain the country’s health and social services.

During the medical exam appointment, applicants must come prepared with proper identification, eyeglasses or contact lenses if applicable, any medical reports or test results for previous or existing medical conditions, a list of current medications, and the Medical Report form if an upfront medical exam wasn’t obtained. Additionally, four recent photographs may be required if the panel physician doesn’t use eMedical.

The medical exam typically involves a medical history questionnaire covering previous and existing medical conditions, a physical examination, and, depending on age, chest x-rays and other laboratory tests.

Applicants are responsible for covering all fees associated with the medical exam. Once the results are obtained, the panel physician will send them to the applicant and provide a document confirming the completion of the medical exam.

It’s important to note that the validity of medical exam results is limited to 12 months. If permanent residency in Canada is not achieved within this timeframe, another medical exam may be required.