On This Page You Will Find
- Overview of Canada’s updated immigration medical exam rules
- Countries added and removed from the IME list
- Who needs an immigration medical exam
- How and when to get a medical exam
- Frequently asked questions about IME requirements
Overview: New Medical Exam Rules for Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has updated its list of countries and territories where a medical exam is required for immigration or temporary residence applications. The new list took effect on November 3, 2025 and determines whether applicants must complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) before entering Canada.
The IME helps ensure that individuals entering Canada do not pose public health risks and are medically admissible. These updates do not affect applications submitted before November 3, 2025.
Countries Added and Removed from IME Requirement
Added to the list (IME now required):
- Argentina
- Colombia
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Removed from the list (IME no longer required):
- Armenia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Iraq
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Taiwan
Applicants who have lived in or travelled to one of the countries where an IME is required for six months or more in a row in the year before coming to Canada must complete the exam.
Requirements By Country
Country/Territory | Immigration Medical Exam (IME) required | Medical Office |
Afghanistan | yes | New Delhi |
Albania | no | London |
Algeria | yes | London |
American Samoa | no | Manila |
Andorra, Principality of | no | London |
Angola | yes | London |
Antigua and Barbuda | no | Ottawa |
Argentina | yes | Ottawa |
Armenia | no | London |
Australia | no | Manila |
Australian external territory: Christmas Island | no | Manila |
Australian external territory: Cocos (Keeling) Islands | no | Manila |
Australian external territory: Norfolk Island | no | Manila |
Austria | no | London |
Azerbaijan | yes | London |
Bahamas | no | Ottawa |
Bahrain | no | New Delhi |
Bangladesh | yes | New Delhi |
Barbados | no | Ottawa |
Belarus | yes | London |
Belgium | no | London |
Belize | no | Ottawa |
Benin | yes | London |
Bhutan | yes | New Delhi |
Bolivia | yes | Ottawa |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | no | London |
Botswana | yes | London |
Brazil | yes | Ottawa |
British Crown Dependency: Channel Islands | no | London |
British Crown Dependency: Isle of Man, Mann | no | London |
British Indian Ocean Territory: Chagos Archipelago | no | London |
British Overseas Territory: Akrotiri and Dhekelia | no | London |
British Overseas Territory: Anguilla | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: Bermuda | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: British Virgin Islands | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: Cayman Islands | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: Falkland Islands | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: Gibraltar | no | London |
British Overseas Territory: Monserrat | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: Pitcairn | no | Manila |
British Overseas Territory: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | no | Ottawa |
British Overseas Territory: St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cuna | no | London |
British Overseas Territory: Turks and Caicos | no | Ottawa |
Brunei Darussalam | yes | Manila |
Bulgaria | no | London |
Burkina Faso | yes | London |
Burundi | yes | London |
Cabo Verde | yes | London |
Cambodia | yes | Manila |
Cameroon | yes | London |
Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) | yes | London |
Central African Republic | yes | London |
Chad | yes | London |
Channel Islands (British Crown Dependency) | no | London |
Chile | no | Ottawa |
Chile, Special territory of: Easter Island | no | Ottawa |
China (PRC) | yes | Manila |
China (PRC), Hong Kong | yes | Manila |
China (PRC), Macao | yes | Manila |
Colombia | yes | Ottawa |
Comoros, Union of | yes | London |
Congo-Brazzaville | yes | London |
Congo-Kinshasa | yes | London |
Cook Islands (in association with New Zealand) | no | Manila |
Costa Rica | no | Ottawa |
Côte d’Ivoire | yes | London |
Croatia | no | London |
Cuba | no | Ottawa |
Cyprus | no | London |
Czech Republic | no | London |
Denmark | no | London |
Denmark: Faroe Islands (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | no | London |
Denmark: Greenland (country within the kingdom of) | yes | London |
Djibouti | yes | London |
Dominica | no | Ottawa |
Dominican Republic | yes | Ottawa |
Ecuador | yes | Ottawa |
Egypt | no | London |
Eire | no | London |
El Salvador | yes | Ottawa |
Equatorial Guinea | yes | London |
Eritrea | yes | London |
Estonia | no | London |
Eswatini | yes | London |
Ethiopia | yes | London |
Faroe Islands (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | no | London |
Fiji | yes | Manila |
Finland | no | London |
France | no | London |
France: French Guiana – Overseas dept. and region of | no | Ottawa |
France: French Polynesia collectivité | no | Manila |
France: French Southern and Antarctic Territories | no | London |
France: Guadeloupe/Desirade – Overseas dept. and terr. | no | Ottawa |
France: Martinique. overseas department | no | Ottawa |
France: New Caledonia collectivité | no | Manila |
France: Réunion department | no | London |
France: Saint Barthélemy collectivité | no | Ottawa |
France: Saint Martin collectivité | no | Ottawa |
France: St. Pierre and Miquelon collectivité | no | Ottawa |
France: Wallis and Futuna collectivité | no | Manila |
Gabon | yes | London |
Gambia | yes | London |
Georgia | yes | London |
Germany | no | London |
Ghana | yes | London |
Greece | no | London |
Greenland (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | yes | London |
Grenada | no | Ottawa |
Guatemala | yes | Ottawa |
Guernsey (Channel Islands) | no | London |
Guinea, Equatorial Rep. of | yes | London |
Guinea, Rep. of | yes | London |
Guinea-Bissau | yes | London |
Guyana | yes | Ottawa |
Haiti | yes | Ottawa |
Holy See | no | London |
Honduras | yes | Ottawa |
Hong Kong: SAR of the PRC | yes | Manila |
Hungary | no | London |
Iceland | no | London |
India | yes | New Delhi |
Indonesia | yes | Manila |
Iran | no | London |
Iraq | no | London |
Ireland, Southern (Eire) | no | London |
Israel | no | London |
Italy | no | London |
Ivory Coast | yes | London |
Jamaica | no | Ottawa |
Japan | no | Manila |
Jersey (Channel Islands) | no | London |
Jordan | no | London |
Kazakhstan | yes | London |
Kenya | yes | London |
Kiribati | yes | Manila |
Korea, North (Democratic People’s Republic of) | yes | Manila |
Korea, South (Republic of) | yes | Manila |
Kosovo | yes | London |
Kuwait | no | New Delhi |
Kyrgyzstan | yes | London |
Lao, People’s Democratic Republic | yes | Manila |
Latvia | no | London |
Lebanon | no | London |
Lesotho | yes | London |
Liberia | yes | London |
Libya | yes | London |
Liechtenstein | no | London |
Lithuania | no | London |
Luxemburg | no | London |
Macao, SAR of the PRC | yes | Manila |
Macedonia, Rep. of | no | London |
Madagascar | yes | London |
Malawi | yes | London |
Malaysia (Peninsular and East) | yes | Manila |
Maldives | yes | Manila |
Mali | yes | London |
Malta | no | London |
Man, Isle of (British Crown Dependency) | no | London |
Marshall Islands | yes | Manila |
Mauritania | yes | London |
Mauritius | no | London |
Mexico | no | Ottawa |
Micronesia (Federated States of) | yes | Manila |
Moldova, Republic of | yes | London |
Monaco | no | London |
Mongolia | yes | Manila |
Montenegro, Rep. of | no | London |
Morocco | yes | London |
Mozambique | yes | London |
Myanmar | yes | Manila |
Namibia | yes | London |
Nauru | yes | Manila |
Nepal | yes | New Delhi |
Netherlands | no | London |
Netherlands: Aruba, constituent country of the | no | Ottawa |
Netherlands: Bonnaire, special municipality of the | no | Ottawa |
Netherlands: Curaçao, constituent country of the | no | Ottawa |
Netherlands: Saba, special municipality of the | no | Ottawa |
Netherlands: Sint Eustatius, special municipality of the | no | Ottawa |
Netherlands: Sint Maarten, constituent country of the | no | Ottawa |
New Zealand | no | Manila |
New Zealand: Cook Islands (in free association with NZ) | no | Manila |
New Zealand: Niue (in free association with NZ) | no | Manila |
New Zealand: Tokelau (territory of NZ) | no | Manila |
Nicaragua | yes | Ottawa |
Niger | yes | London |
Nigeria | yes | London |
Niue (country in free association with New Zealand) | no | Manila |
Norway | no | London |
Oman | no | New Delhi |
Pakistan | yes | New Delhi |
Palau | yes | Manila |
Palestine | no | London |
Palestinian Authority (West Bank/Gaza) | no | London |
Panama | yes | Ottawa |
Papua New Guinea | yes | Manila |
Paraguay | yes | Ottawa |
Peru | yes | Ottawa |
Philippines | yes | Manila |
Poland | no | London |
Portugal | no | London |
Portugal: Azores, autonomous region of | no | London |
Portugal: Madeira, autonomous region of | no | London |
Qatar | yes | New Delhi |
Romania | yes | London |
Russia | yes | London |
Rwanda | yes | London |
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Federation of | no | Ottawa |
Saint Lucia | no | Ottawa |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | no | Ottawa |
Samoa, American | no | Manila |
Samoa, Independent State of | no | Manila |
San Marino | no | London |
Sao Tome and Principe | yes | London |
Saudi Arabia | no | New Delhi |
Senegal | yes | London |
Serbia | no | London |
Seychelles | no | London |
Sierra Leone | yes | London |
Singapore | yes | Manila |
Slovakia | no | London |
Slovenia | no | London |
Solomon Islands | yes | Manila |
Somalia | yes | London |
South Africa | yes | London |
South Sudan, Rep. of | yes | London |
Spain (and Balearics) | no | London |
Spain: Canary Islands, autonomous community of Spain | no | London |
Sri Lanka | yes | New Delhi |
Sudan, South | yes | London |
Sudan. Republic of (North) | yes | London |
Suriname | no | Ottawa |
Sweden | no | London |
Switzerland | no | London |
Syria | no | London |
Taiwan (Republic of China) | no | Manila |
Tajikistan | yes | London |
Tanzania | yes | London |
Thailand | yes | Manila |
Timor-Leste | yes | Manila |
Togo | yes | London |
Tokelau (territory of New Zealand) | no | Manila |
Tonga | no | Manila |
Trinidad and Tobago | no | Ottawa |
Tunisia | yes | London |
TürkiyeTurkiye | no | London |
Turkmenistan | yes | London |
Tuvalu | yes | Manila |
Uganda | yes | London |
Ukraine | yes | London |
United Arab Emirates | no | New Delhi |
United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Crown Dependency: Channel Islands | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Indian Ocean Territory: Chagos Archipelago | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: British Virgin Islands | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Crown Dependency: Isle of Man, Mann | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Akrotiri and Dhekelia | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Anguilla | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Bermuda | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Cayman Islands | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Falkland Islands | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Gibraltar | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Montserrat | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Pitcairn | no | Manila |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | no | Ottawa |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cuna | no | London |
United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Turks and Caicos | no | Ottawa |
Uruguay | yes | Ottawa |
USA (Continental USA and Hawaii) | no | Ottawa |
USA: Guam | yes | Manila |
USA: Midway Island, territory of the USA | no | Manila |
USA: Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of the USA | yes | Manila |
USA: Puerto Rico, unincorporated territory of the USA | no | Ottawa |
USA: Virgin Islands of the USA | no | Ottawa |
USA: Wake Island | no | Manila |
Uzbekistan | yes | London |
Vanuatu | yes | Manila |
Vatican City | no | London |
Venezuela | yes | Ottawa |
Viet Nam | yes | Manila |
Virgin Islands (British) | no | Ottawa |
Virgin Islands (of the United States) | no | Ottawa |
Yemen | yes | New Delhi |
Zambia | yes | London |
Zimbabwe | yes | London |
Who Needs an Immigration Medical Exam?
You must complete an IME if any of the following apply:
- You plan to stay in Canada for more than six months and have lived in or visited one or more IME-required countries.
- You are applying for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa.
- You plan to work in a job where public health must be protected, such as:
- Healthcare
- Childcare
- Laboratory work
- Teaching
- In-home caregiving for children, the elderly, or the disabled
- Agricultural work (if you have lived in an IME country for six months or more)
If your work involves close contact with people, an IME is mandatory regardless of the countries you’ve visited or the duration of your stay.
When and How to Get a Medical Exam
You can take the medical exam before or after applying for your visa or permit.
Before you apply (upfront exam):
- You can book directly with an approved panel physician.
- The physician will conduct a standard IME and provide a report to include in your application.
After you apply:
- IRCC will send you instructions and a Medical Report form (IMM 1017E or IMM 1020E).
- You must follow the instructions carefully or risk delays or refusal.
Only panel physicians approved by IRCC can perform the IME. Your regular doctor cannot conduct the exam.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
When attending your IME, bring:
- Valid identification (preferably a passport)
- Medical reports for any previous or existing conditions
- A list of current medications
- Glasses or contact lenses (if applicable)
- Four recent photos if the clinic does not use eMedical
- Proof of vaccination (optional but recommended)
Applicants must pay all related medical exam fees, including the physician’s charge, additional tests, and vaccinations if taken.
Analysis: Why IRCC Updated the IME List
This update reflects IRCC’s ongoing review of global health conditions and disease prevalence patterns. By adjusting the list of countries, Canada ensures its public health policies remain evidence-based and responsive to changing epidemiological data.
The addition of several South American countries such as Colombia and Venezuela suggests increased monitoring of infectious diseases in the region. The removal of countries like Latvia and Taiwan likely reflects improved health standards and lower public health risks.
For applicants, this update highlights the importance of checking the IME list before applying, as medical exam requirements can directly affect processing times and application costs.
Medical Exam: Frequently Asked Questions
1. When did the new IME list take effect?
The new list came into effect on November 3, 2025. Applications submitted before this date are not affected by the change.
2. Which countries were added to the IME list?
Applicants who have lived in or visited Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, or Venezuela for six months or more in the past year must now complete an IME.
3. Which countries were removed from the IME list?
Applicants from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Latvia, Lithuania, and Taiwan no longer need to complete an IME unless they work in high-risk jobs.
4. Who must always take a medical exam regardless of country?
Anyone working in healthcare, childcare, or other public health–sensitive roles must take an IME, regardless of travel history or duration of stay.
5. Can I choose my own doctor for the medical exam?
No. Only IRCC-approved panel physicians can perform immigration medical exams. You must select a doctor from IRCC’s official panel physician list.
