Medical Exam Requirements for Temporary Residents

Appendix B – The Medical Exam Requirements for Temporary Residents i.e. Visitors, Students and Workers

In case these individuals plan to visit for six months or less, they would not need to undergo a medical exam. This is applicable unless they plan to work in certain occupations – readers would need to go through the list that follows.

However, if these individuals plan to visit for more than six months, they would need to undergo a medical exam if they:

• Have lived temporarily for six or more consecutive months:

  • In one or more of the countries specified in Appendix A

  • In the one year immediately prior to the date on which you want to enter Canada – this applies even if the individual is a citizen of a country that does not need a visa for entering Canada or,

• Will come to Canada to work in occupations in which they would need to protect public health – the complete list of such occupations follows later in this document (working in such occupations will require the individual to undergo a medical exam)

• Apply for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa

In case the visa office determines that these individuals need to go through a medical exam, they will notify these individuals about the manner in which they should proceed.

The Jobs for Which Applicants Would Need to Undergo a Medical Exam

Applicants would need to go through a medical exam because of the job type that they want to do in Canada. Examples of such jobs include:

• Agricultural workers who have visited or lived in certain countries for more than six of the past 12 months (for the list of these countries please refer to Appendix A)

• Workers in the field of health sciences

• Workers in clinical laboratories

• Patient attendants in nursing or geriatric homes

• Medical students admitted to Canada for attending the university

• Medical electives and physicians on short-term locums

• Teachers (for small children or of the primary or secondary level)

• Domestics

• Workers providing in-home care to children, the elderly or the disabled

• Employees in day nurseries and,

• Other jobs that bring them into close contact with people

The Medical Exam Instructions

It is worth highlighting that the personal doctors of applicants cannot perform the medical exam. As such, the applicants would need to see a doctor given on the list of panel physicians. The complete list of panel physicians appears on the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

The panel physicians will perform complete medical examinations. Thereafter, they might refer the applicants for chest x-rays and various laboratory tests. Once the medical examination is complete, the physicians will send the results to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

It is worth mentioning that the panel physician is not responsible for making the final decision about the applicant’s medical exam. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) will make that decision. In case there is a problem with an individual’s medical exam, the visa office would contact that individual in writing.

When an individual goes for the medical exam appointment, the individual would need to carry:

• Proper identification

  • This would include at least one document that bears the individual’s photograph and signature

  • Such documents could typically include passports, driver’s licences or national identity cards

• Eye glasses or contact lenses (in case the individual wears them)

• Any medical reports or test results that the individual has concerning previous or existing medical conditions and,

• The Medical Report form i.e. IMM 1017E

  • This is necessary if the individual does not undergo an upfront medical exam

  • The visa office would typically send this form to the individual

Besides these, the individual appearing for the medical exam might also need to bring four recent photographs. However, the individual would only need to provide these in case the doctor selected from the list of panel physicians does not work with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) via the eMedical electronic system. Therefore, the authorities advise applicants to check with the doctor’s office at the time they book their appointments.

Note:

• The authorities recommend applicants to notify the doctor about any previous or existing medical conditions

• If the applicants do not do this, it is possible that processing the medical exam could take much longer

There are two ways by which individuals can undergo their medical exams. These comprise:

• Waiting for instructions from the visa office after they have submitted their applications

  • In this situation, the individual would need to go for the medical exam within 30 days of receiving the medical instructions from the visa office

    • If the individual does not go for the medical exam within 30 days of receiving the medical instructions from the visa office, the authorities could likely refuse the application

• Undergoing the medical exam prior to submitting their applications

  • This scenario calls for an up front medical exam

  • As such, the individual would need to contact a panel physician directly for getting the medical exam in case they apply under one of the following categories:

    • Workers

    • Students

    • Visitors (including Parent and Grandparent Super Visa)

  • Once the medical exam is complete, the doctor will give the individuals a document confirming that they have gone through the medical exam

  • Applicants would need to include a copy of this document along with their applications

  • In case the doctor works with the eMedical electronic system, the doctor will give the individuals the information sheet printout

  • In case the doctor works with a paper system, the doctor will give the individuals a copy of the IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form

  • Applicants would need to attach this form to their application prior to submitting the application at the visa office

  • In case applicants decide to apply online, they would need to upload this form prior to submitting their applications

The Fees

Applicants would need to pay any fees related to the medical exam at the time they undergo the medical exam. In some cases, the authorities might refuse the application after the medical exam. In this scenario, the authorities would not refund the fees paid for the medical exam.

The Validity

The medical exam results are valid for a span of 12 months only. As such, if the individuals do not come to Canada as visitors, workers or students within that timeframe, they might need to undergo another medical exam.

How to Get a Copy of the Medical Exam

In some cases, the individuals might want copies of their medical exams. For this, they would need to ask the doctors at the time they give the medical exam. It is worth highlighting that medical reports and x-rays for the medical exam become the property of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). As such, the authorities would not return them to the applicants thereafter.

How to Find a Doctor

To find a doctor, the individuals would need to go through the list of panel physicians. The complete list of panel physicians appears on the website of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).