Medical exams for Canadian immigration are important, but do you need them? We have covered everything you should know about the Canadian immigration medical exam in this article.
Specifically, we are going to cover:
- Who needs to take a medical exam for Canadian immigration?
- Why do I need to take a medical exam for Canadian immigration?
- What is needed for a medical exam for Canadian immigration?
- And lots more.
So, if you’re looking at migrating to Canada for any reason, this guide is a must-read.
Let’s get started!
Who Needs to Take a Medical Exam for Canadian Immigration?
If you plan on moving to Canada for the holidays, study, or work permit, there is so much that the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada) would ask you to complete.
Must Read: Quick questions to ask a potential immigration consultant in 2021...
One of these basic requirements is a medical exam prior to arrival, which ensures you do not have restricted access to the country for medical reasons.
The requirements are different depending on if the person is applying for temporary (which are workers, students, and visitors) or permanent residency.
For temporal residency of six months or less, a medical exam may not be demanded except if you plan to work a specific type of job.
These specific job positions are in line with public health and must be protected as such jobs bring you close contact with different people. Examples of these kinds of jobs are:
- Clinical laboratory workers
- Medical students newly admitted to school in Canada
- Medical electives and physicians on short-term locum (a temporar medical substitute)
- Domestic workers that provide childcare, homes for elderlies and disabled
- Healthcare workers and patient attendants in nursing and aged homes.
The list above is not thorough, and other applicants with other job titles may also be asked to take these medical exams.
For a temporal residency of six months or more, you would require a medical exam for one of these reasons:
- You are planning to work in a job where public health must be protected
- You are applying for a parent or grandparent super visa
- You have lived in or visited one or more of these countries for at least 6 months within the previous year.
For permanent residency, all immigrants must take a medical exam for Canadian immigration accompanied by their spouse or partner, alongside their dependent children.
Why Do I Need to Take a Medical Exam for Canadian Immigration?
The medical exams aim to ensure immigrants are medically acceptable for the country under the IRPA (Immigration and Refugee Protection Act).
A recent survey conducted in 2016 shows that the majority of hepatitis-related health cases in Canada came from immigrants from medium and low-risk source countries.
Thus, if an immigrant threatens the public’s health or safety or if the immigrant’s medical condition might debilitate the Canadian healthcare system, then such an individual’s immigration application request would be denied.
What is Needed for a Medical Exam for Canadian Immigration?
The medical exam for Canadian immigration involves examining a potential immigrant’s health.
It is often carried out by a panel physician well-approved by the IRCC.
This medical exam for Canadian immigration is used to check for any medical reason that may cause a denial of an immigrant’s status to Canada.
The exam would include a personal medical history questionnaire, physical examination, and any other relevant test ascertained by the panel physician.
If, in any case, your physician needs more information about your health, you may be redirected to a specialist for additional tests.
Some Canadian immigration programs allow you to take your medical exams while you are applying for your visa, while others require you to apply first before conducting the exams.
In any of these cases, the IRCC would do well to contact you and give a deadline for completing the exam.
When you go for your medical exams, ensure you carry your proper and correct identification, such as a passport or/and other government-issued forms of identification, alongside any other information about your health.
How Much Does a Medical Exam for Canadian Immigration Cost in 2021?
Medical exam costs are not fixed, as they vary from country to country.
Please consult your panel physician to determine how much the entire examination would cost.
You’ll be made to pay all fees related to the medical exam, noting that these fees are non-refundable.
That is, you can not get them back in case your application request gets denied.
However, the IRCC medical exam result is still valid for 12 months from the exam date.
However, if you don’t visit Canada during this time frame, you must opt for a new medical exam.
In a medical exam for Canadian immigration, you are paying for the following:
- The doctor or radiologist.
- Any other specialist you’ll need to see.
- Any special tests, investigations, and/or treatments must be done.
Who Carries Out a Medical Exam for Canadian Immigration?
Take note: Your doctor can not conduct a medical exam for Canadian immigration for you. You must find a panel physician approved by the IRCC for medical exams.
And it’s also important to note that the panel physician does not make the final decision about your medical but the government of Canada.
You’ll be contacted in writing if there is any trouble with your medical exams.
