Canada’s immigration laws require some persons wanting to visit Canada temporarily as workers, students, or visitors to complete medical exams. People who want to come to Canada as permanent residents must also complete their medical exam done by an appointed medical practitioner.
Similarly, if you want to move to Canada permanently as a permanent resident, you must undergo a medical examination before your application is processed. Here are the reasons why it’s required and how to go about getting your medical exams done.
Why Do You Need to Pass the Medical Exam for a Canadian Visa?
This is important because Canada’s immigration regulations say that you may be medically inadmissible if you do not satisfy certain medical requirements. This means that you cannot be and will not be allowed into Canada on health grounds if you do not meet the conditions stipulated. One of the requirements is that you must not be a danger to public health and safety within Canada.
A person who is potentially a danger to public health is somebody who may have some severe types of infectious diseases that the Canadian government deems dangerous to public health. The medical exam also assesses whether or not you suffer from an illness or a medical condition that would put Excessive Demand on Canada’s healthcare system and or on Canada’s social services systems.
So that is the legal basis for the requirement of a medical exam before coming into Canada if you want to go as a permanent resident, a visitor, student, or a worker.
Medical Exam for Temporary Residents
If you’re coming to Canada to perform specific jobs, you are required to get a medical exam done. It makes sense that somebody who’s coming to work in the health services, health sciences field, for instance, would be required to get a medical exam done no matter what.
Moreover, you are also going to be required to do a medical exam, irrespective of the country you’re coming from if you’re applying under the Parent and Grandparents’ Super Visa Program. That’s a particular program targeted at parents and grandparents.
Medical Exam Exemptions
If you are planning to come to Canada as a temporary resident, student, or visitor, for more than six months, you must complete a medical unless you fit into one of the exemptions. Nonetheless, persons who want to come to Canada for under six months do not require a medical, irrespective of what country they’re coming from.
Another exemption is that if you are coming from countries whose citizens are not required to complete medicals if they’re coming to Canada temporarily versus coming as a permanent resident. You can view this information on the government’s website.
For example, if you’re coming from India and plan to be here for more than six months, you will be required to do a medical examination. If you search countries like Antigua and Barbuda, you see that no medical exams are required.
Who can Do Your Medical Exams?
Medical exams may be carried out by physicians, doctors, and medical doctors designated by the Canadian government. These are referred to as panel physicians, and they are panel physicians pretty much in most countries. Often, there are multiple panel physicians in different countries, and these are the appointed medical practitioners who can carry out medical examinations.
If they’re not on this list of panel physicians, they cannot carry out medicals on behalf of Canadian immigration. The medical exams they do will not be acceptable to Canadian immigration. Therefore, you should not be using any physician who is not on that list.
Medical Exam Options
One option is what’s called an upfront medical. This is where you go, and you get the medical done even before you’ve filed your application. The doctor then provides the eMedical report to the Canadian immigration authorities directly.
Alternatively, if you cannot do an upfront medical, you can wait until you have filed your application. It means that you’ll have to wait for the immigration authorities to provide you with a letter instructing you on the need to get this medical done.
If you’re not doing an upfront medical, then you will be sent a medical report form by the Canadian immigration authorities. After you filed your application, then you’ll be required to take that form with you.
Medical Exam Requirements
When you go to see the physician, you’re required to bring a government-issued ID. If you have eyeglasses or contact lenses and any medications you’re taking, you need to take those with you.
Recent photographs are also going to be necessary if and only if the panel physician does not use eMedicals. eMedical is an online system that allows for the information to be shared with the Canadian authorities relatively quickly.
It’s a pretty in-depth examination of your health situation. So, of course, they’ll be questionnaires that you’re going to need to complete. There are also standard tests and checks that your doctor would do when you do your regular visit.
However, there’s always the possibility that you may be asked to undergo other tests, depending on factors like age or if the doctor’s findings are inconclusive in the initial assessment. In such a case, the doctor may want you to do an additional x-ray or get lab tests done. Of course, you have the right to take somebody along with you to act as a chaperone in the event you think it necessary.
Payments for your fees are made directly to the medical practitioner who is carrying out the exams, and you can find out details on what to expect during the exam.
After the exam is done again, the physician is the one who sends the results to the immigration authorities. You also need to keep a copy of the printout that the panel physician would have given you. You want to have some proof that you have done this upfront medical if something were to go awry. Also, there’s a complaint mechanism in the event, you are dissatisfied with the work that the physician has done.
Medical Exam Validity
You need to note that the medical exam is good for 12 months. If 12 months have passed and you’ve not submitted your Canadian application, whether it be a temporary resident application or permanent resident application, you will be required to complete a new medical.
Let Us Help
We can help you with any application that requires a medical exam. Be sure to reach out to us and let us know if and when you require our support.
