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Immigration Medical Exam Cost in Canada: What You Pay and What to Expect (2026)

The immigration medical exam cost in Canada is not a fixed government fee. IRCC does not charge for the exam itself, so you pay the panel physician directly, and you pay separately for any x-rays, lab tests, or specialists you are sent to. IRCC does not refund any of it if your application is later refused. Because the fee belongs to the clinic and not to the government, what you actually pay depends on where you go and which tests you need.


That last point is why this small step trips people up. Your results are valid for 12 months only, so if you complete the exam too early, before you are actually asked for it, you can watch that window close and have to book, and pay for, a second exam. Getting the timing wrong on a routine medical is one of the quietest ways to add cost and delay to an otherwise clean file. Before you book anything, it helps to know exactly what you are paying for.


A detailed close-up photograph inside a Vancouver medical clinic reception area. A friendly receptionist is handing a multi-page invoice to a South Asian applicant (late 30s). The invoice prominently lists separate line items with costs: "Physical Exam Fee: $250," "Chest X-ray: $110," "Bloodwork Lab Fee: $90." The total amount is highlighted. A desk sign reiterates that all fees are paid directly to the clinic, not to IRCC. Natural mid-day light, realistic film grain.

How much does the immigration medical exam cost in Canada?

There is no single official price published by IRCC. IRCC's guidance states that you must pay all fees related to the exam, and it lists what those fees cover rather than setting an amount. The fee goes to the panel physician for their services, not to IRCC. In practice, that means what you pay depends on the clinic you use and the tests you need, and it can differ noticeably from one country to another.

What you actually pay is usually a set of separate line items rather than one flat number:

What you pay for

Who charges it

Notes

The panel physician or radiologist fee

The panel physician's clinic

The core exam fee; varies by clinic and country

Special tests, investigations, or treatment

The clinic or a lab

For example chest x-rays or bloodwork, depending on your age

Any specialist you are referred to

The specialist

Only if the panel physician refers you for further testing

Optional vaccines

The panel physician

Voluntary; you only pay if you choose to receive them

Source: Medical examination for permanent residence applicants, IRCC (canada.ca). Verified August 2026.

Two rules matter more than the exact dollar figure. First, if IRCC refuses your application after your exam, the fees are not refunded. Second, refugees and asylum seekers may be exempt from paying for the exam and vaccines. For everyone else, the honest answer to "how much" is: budget for the clinic's fee plus the cost of any x-rays and lab tests, and confirm the exact amount with the panel physician when you book, because only they can quote you their price.


In practice, the number surprises people less because it is high and more because it arrives as three or four separate charges on the day, and because it can differ sharply between countries. Applicants coming from higher-cost regions sometimes pay several times what someone in another country pays for the same exam. There is no way around this, but knowing it is coming means you are not caught off guard at the clinic.

What is included in the immigration medical exam?

The immigration medical exam, often shortened to IME, is a standard health screening, not a test you can pass or fail on effort. A panel physician, the only doctor IRCC approves for this, runs it. Your own family doctor cannot do it.


A standard exam includes an identity check and a photo for IRCC's records, a medical history questionnaire about past and current conditions and any medications you take, and a physical examination. During the physical, the clinic will weigh you, measure your height, check your hearing and vision, listen to your heart and lungs, feel your abdomen, check how your limbs move, and look at your skin. Depending on your age, you may also be sent for chest x-rays and lab tests. The physician will not examine your genitals or rectal area, and you have the right to have a chaperone in the room at any point.

Here is what to bring so you are not turned away or delayed:

  • Proper identification, ideally your passport

  • Eyeglasses or contact lenses, if you wear them

  • Any medical reports or test results for existing or past conditions

  • A list of your current medications

  • The Medical Report form (IMM 1017E or IMM 1020E) if IRCC sent you one and you are not doing an upfront medical

  • Four recent photos, only if the panel physician does not use eMedical (ask the clinic before your appointment)

When to get your immigration medical exam

Timing depends on how you are applying, and this is where the cost risk lives.

If you are applying through Express Entry, you get an upfront medical exam after you receive your invitation to apply but before you submit your application. You contact a panel physician directly and upload the confirmation document with your application. If you are unsure how the upfront route works, our guide to the upfront medical report walks through the form and the sequence.


For most other permanent residence applications, including spousal, partner, and child sponsorship, you wait. After you submit your complete application, IRCC sends instructions telling you when and how to book, and you must complete the exam within 30 days of getting those instructions. Going early, before you are asked, is the classic mistake: the 12-month validity clock starts on the exam date, not on your instructions, so an exam done months too soon can expire before your application is finalized. For the timing details and how to find an approved doctor, see our explainer on the panel physician and when to book.

What happens after the immigration medical exam

Once the exam is done, the panel physician sends the results to IRCC directly. You do not mail anything in for a standard or streamlined exam done after you apply. For an upfront Express Entry medical, you upload the confirmation document yourself. Many clinics now work through an electronic system called eMedical, which is why some no longer ask you to bring photos.


The physician gives you a document confirming that you completed the exam. Some applicants call this receipt the "medical chit." Keep it. It is your proof that the step is done, and it records your IME number, also called the unique medical identifier number, which you would quote if you apply again within five years. The medical reports and x-rays themselves become IRCC's property and are not returned to you, though you can ask the physician for a copy of your results while you are there.


After that, the exam becomes one input into IRCC's decision. The panel physician does not decide anything; IRCC does, and will contact you in writing only if there is a problem. From here your file moves on to other checks, and if you want a sense of the parallel timelines, our breakdown of how long the IRCC background check takes for PR shows what else is running in the background.


An illustrative photograph of an anxious man in an immigration medical clinic waiting room. A large digital clock overlay shows "VALIDITY PERIOD: 12 MONTHS" with "8 DAYS REMAINING" counting down. He holds a paper stamped with "EXPIRED" on an exam dated January 2026, alongside his smartphone displaying a new IRCC email from February 2027 requesting a second medical exam. A thought bubble above him shows a stack of Canadian cash and "Clinic Fee" with a question mark. A foreground sign reads: "Note: The validity clock starts on the date of your exam, not when you receive instructions."

Why this matters for your immigration application

For most people the medical is routine and the results raise no concern. The real risks are practical, not medical: paying twice because the first exam expired, and, in a minority of cases, a health finding that raises a question of medical inadmissibility. If a condition could place excessive demand on Canada's health or social services, the outcome and your options are a separate and more serious conversation, which we cover in our guide to medical inadmissibility and excessive demand.


Curious what the exam actually cost you in your country? Share the breakdown in the comments; real numbers from real applicants help others budget more than any estimate can. Keep it general, and for advice on your specific file, use a consultation.


Not sure whether your medical timing lines up with your application, or whether a past health issue could matter? That is a 30-minute question worth asking Ansari Immigration's licensed RCIC directly ($80) before you book anything.

Frequently asked questions about the immigration medical exam cost

How much does the immigration medical exam cost in Canada?

There is no fixed IRCC price. The panel physician sets the fee, and it varies by clinic, country, your age, and the tests needed. You pay the physician's fee plus any x-rays, lab work, and specialist visits separately, and IRCC does not refund it if your application is refused.

An identity check and photo, a medical history questionnaire, and a physical exam covering height, weight, hearing, vision, heart, lungs, abdomen, limbs, and skin. Depending on your age, you may also have chest x-rays and lab tests.

Your immigration medical exam results are valid for 12 months. If you do not become a permanent resident within that time, you may need to have another exam.

The panel physician sends your results to IRCC directly and gives you a document confirming the exam. Keep it as proof. IRCC makes the final decision and contacts you in writing only if there is an issue.

For Express Entry, do the upfront exam after your invitation to apply but before you submit. For most other applications, wait for IRCC's instructions and complete it within 30 days of receiving them.

No. Only a panel physician approved by IRCC can perform the immigration medical exam. Your own family doctor cannot do it, even in Canada.

Related Posts

Why work with Ansari Immigration


Doing it alone: you book the exam, guess at the timing, and hope the 12-month clock does not run out before your application is finalized. With Ansari Immigration (flat, transparent fees quoted upfront, additional family members quoted separately): the firm's licensed RCIC maps the medical step to the rest of your file so it is done at the right moment, handles every form and IRCC follow-up, and gives you a straight answer, including when the honest advice is that you do not need to pay for anything yet. A 30-minute consultation ($80) is where that starts.


Have a question about the medical step in your own application? Ask it in the comments below; we read every one. Keep it general, and for advice on your specific situation, use a consultation.

This article is for general information only. It is not legal advice. Program criteria, requirements, processing times, and selection approaches can change without notice. Always confirm details on official government websites or consult a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for advice specific to your situation.

 
 
 

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