Upfront Medical Exam – IME without a letter
Medial inadmissibility could prevent many people from moving to Canada. Of course, the purpose of medical inadmissibility is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Therefore, immigration officers ask a large group of applicants to go through medical exams. However, you may sometimes do an upfront medical exam. In those situations, you do not wait for an officer to issue an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) letter.
Table of contents
Who needs to do an upfront medical exam?
The following applicants need to do an upfront medical exam. Nevertheless, this list is neither inclusive nor exclusive. Thus consult with a professional for official advice:
- Express Entry applicants:
Before July 7, 2022: If you are inside Canada.However, if you or your family are outside Canada, wait for the immigration authorities to issue an IMM 1017 form. You need to upload an explanation letter to your profile.
On or after July 7, 2022: You must have an upfront IME for Express Entry regardless of where you live. - TR to PR pathway. However, some of the applicants could be exempt from the medical exams.
- People who intend to remain in Canada for more than six months. However, they have visited or lived for six months or more in certain countries in a year before moving to Canada.
- Work permit applicants whose occupations are subject to a medical exam.
Note: If your immigration or visa program does not qualify for an upfront medical exam, you must wait for an official IME letter (IMM 1017).
The list of designated countries for temporary residents
IRCC has a webpage that includes the list of all countries and territories for IME. When you look up a county from that list, you must do a medical exam if there is a “Yes” under the IME column and you meet the following criteria:
- You intend to remain in Canada for more than six months; and
- You have lived or visited these countries for six months or more within the past 12 months.
Since the list of designated countries is subject to change, visit the IRCC webpage for more information. However, a screenshot shows how easily you can find the necessary information.
How to conduct an upfront medical exam?
If you intend to do an upfront medical exam, take the following steps.
- Locate a panel physician that is close to you. Of course, you must refer to the IRCC website for the official list.
- Call them and book an appointment. Let the panel physician know you will do an upfront medical exam. Therefore, you do not have an IME form (i.e., no IMM 1017).
- Take the following and any other documents the physician requires:
- Besides a physical exam, you may also need to go through lab tests, x-rays, etc.
Regardless, the physician will later pass the following documents to you:
- IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form and
- information printout sheet.
You need to upload both documents if you are applying online. However, if you apply at a port of entry or on paper, you must present the hard copies.
What if you miss the exam?
If you do not do the upfront medical exams, any of the following scenarios could occur:
- The officer will issue the IMM 1017 form and asks you to do the exam. Of course, this means a delay in the processing.
- They wave you from the exam (unlikely, though).
- They refuse your application (extremely unlikely).
Scenario #3 is improbable (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic). However, it is in your best interest to do the exam and avoid potential disappointment. If you have submitted your application, you may still do the medical exam and upload the documents via the IRCC web form. Nonetheless, the IRCC website is silent on this practice.
<<Now read: Some in-Canada applicants are temporarily exempt from medical exams until December 28, 2021,>>
The upfront medical exam for dependent family members
When you are applying for immigration to Canada, all your dependent family members must also undergo a medical examination. Therefore, if an upfront medical exam applies to the principal applicant, it also applies to the rest of the dependent family members. This requirement is regardless of whether they accompany or not accompany the principal applicant. However, the situation changes if the application is temporary (e.g., TRV, work permit, study permit, or TRP). In those situations, only applicants must undergo a medical examination. Of course, they must do it if the requirement applies. Read “Who needs to do an upfront medical exam?” for more information.
Let us help!
If you have general questions about the upfront medical exam, fill out the following form. However, for specific questions, please book a consultation session with me.
Relevant article: Removing limitations on a work permit because of a missing medical exam
If you wish to visit or move to Canada, please fill out our free assessment form. We will review it for free, but we will contact you only if we find an opportunity for you. Alternatively, you may book a consultation session. Consultation sessions are not free, but you will receive formal advice from a licensed practitioner.
Al Parsai, MA, DTM, RCIC
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Ashton College Instructor – Immigration Consulting
Author – 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada
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