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Panel Physician Canada: How the Immigration Medical Exam Works and When to Book

A panel physician is the only doctor IRCC has approved to perform your immigration medical exam. In Canada, a panel physician Canada applicants book must come from IRCC's official list, not your own family doctor. The panel physician examines you, then sends the results directly to IRCC. IRCC, not the doctor, decides whether you are medically admissible.

Who needs an immigration medical exam in Canada

Whether you need an exam depends on what you are applying for and how long you plan to stay.

If you apply for permanent residence, you must have an immigration medical exam. So must your family members, even if they are not coming to Canada with you.

If you apply as a temporary resident (visitor, student, or worker), it depends:

  1. Staying six months or less: you generally do not need an exam, unless you will work in a job where public health must be protected (for example, health care, child care, or in-home care).

  2. Staying more than six months: you need an exam if you have lived in or travelled to one of the countries or territories on IRCC's designated list for six months in a row in the year before you come to Canada, if you will work in a public-health job, or if you are applying for a parent and grandparent super visa.

IRCC updated the list of countries where an exam is required on November 3, 2025, so check the current official list before you book.


A photo of a woman of East Asian descent sitting at a wooden dining table and using a laptop to search the official Government of Canada website. Her hand is on a computer mouse. The laptop screen clearly shows the webpage header "Find a panel physician" and a "Search" field, illustrating an applicant searching IRCC's list. A coffee mug, a notebook with handwriting "IRCC list" and "not family doctor", and forms are on the table. In the background, there's a built-in bookshelf and a large window view of a city skyline.

Upfront or requested: when to book your exam

There are two moments you can complete the exam: before you apply (an upfront medical exam) or after you apply, once IRCC sends you instructions.


For Express Entry permanent residence applications, IRCC requires an upfront medical exam first, as of August 21, 2025. For all other permanent residence applications, including spousal and family sponsorship, you wait for IRCC's instructions and then complete the exam within 30 days. Temporary residents applying to visit, work, or study can choose to do an upfront exam or wait to be asked.

From Amir's desk

In practice, most of the timing problems I see come from getting the sequence wrong. For most applications outside Express Entry, you should wait for IRCC to request the exam. Doing it too early can waste it, because results are only good for 12 months, and a lapsed exam means doing it again. The two mistakes that cost people the most time are jumping the gun before IRCC asks, and going to a regular walk-in or family doctor whose exam IRCC will not accept. Only an approved panel physician counts. If you are in a category that requires or allows an upfront exam, plan ahead and book early with a panel physician in your area. In Metro Vancouver there are approved panel physicians across the region, so most applicants here can find one within a reasonable drive.


Did IRCC ask for your medical before or after you applied? Share how your timing worked out in the comments, it helps other readers plan.

How to find a panel physician Canada approves

Your own doctor cannot do the exam, no matter how qualified. You must use a doctor from IRCC's list of approved panel physicians, which you can search by country and city on the official IRCC website. You can choose a panel physician anywhere, and you tell them where your application is being processed so the results reach the right office.


If you cannot access a panel physician in your region, or exceptional circumstances stop you from completing the exam, IRCC asks you to submit a letter of explanation for review rather than skipping the requirement.

If your case involves an exam requested after a delay, or a correspondence letter you do not understand, Ansari Immigration can review where your file actually stands and what IRCC is asking for. Book a consultation with Ansari Immigration at the link and bring your instructions and timeline.

What to expect during the exam and how results reach IRCC

There are two exam types, standard and streamlined. You cannot choose which one you get; IRCC tells you.

A standard exam includes an identity check and photo, a medical history questionnaire, and a physical examination covering height, weight, hearing, vision, heart, lungs, abdomen, limbs, and skin. Depending on your age, you may also be sent for a chest X-ray and laboratory tests, and sometimes a specialist. The doctor will not examine your genitals or rectal area, and you have the right to a chaperone at any point.


When the exam is done, the panel physician sends the results directly to IRCC and gives you a document confirming you completed it. Keep that document. If you had an upfront exam, the physician gives you an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report to include with a paper application or upload before submitting online. Your results are valid for 12 months.


If you already completed an immigration medical exam within the last five years, live in Canada, and that exam showed low or no risk, you may be exempt under a temporary public policy that IRCC has extended until October 5, 2029. In that case you include your previous exam number in your new application.


A professional photo taken inside a medical examination room, showing a female doctor of East Asian descent, wearing a white lab coat and a name badge, performing an eye examination on a seated male patient of South Asian descent. The doctor holds a handheld medical device to the patient's eye. He looks toward her. The background includes dual Snellen eye charts (English and French), a medical scale, a height rod, and various medical equipment on counters, illustrating an immigration medical exam being performed by a panel physician.

Why this matters for your immigration application

The medical exam is an admissibility step, like your background and security checks. The panel physician does not decide your case; IRCC reviews the results and contacts you in writing if there is a concern. Getting the exam done correctly and on time, with an approved panel physician, keeps a routine step from turning into a delay or a refusal. A wasted exam, a non-panel doctor, or a missed 30-day window are all avoidable.

Frequently asked questions about panel physicians and immigration medical exams

How long is a medical exam valid for immigration to Canada?

Your immigration medical exam results are valid for 12 months. If you do not travel to Canada within that period, you may have to do the exam again.


How do I book a medical exam for Canada immigration?

Find an approved panel physician on IRCC's official list and contact the clinic directly to book. For most applications you wait for IRCC's instructions first; for Express Entry and other upfront situations, you book before you apply.


Can my own doctor do the immigration medical exam?

No. Only a doctor on IRCC's panel physician list can perform the exam. An exam by your family doctor or a regular walk-in clinic will not be accepted, even if the doctor is fully licensed.


How much does an immigration medical exam cost in Canada?

IRCC does not set a fixed exam fee, so the cost varies by panel physician, location, and any X-rays, lab tests, or specialists needed. You pay the clinic directly, and fees are not refunded if your application is refused. Refugees and asylum seekers may be exempt. Confirm the price with the clinic before you book.


What is an upfront medical exam?

An upfront medical exam is one you complete before you apply, by contacting a panel physician directly. The physician gives you an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report, which you include with a paper application or upload before submitting an online application.

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Why work with Ansari Immigration Flat, transparent fees quoted upfront, with consultations at $80 for 30 minutes. Every Ansari Immigration file is handled personally by the firm's licensed RCIC regulated by CICC, practicing since 2019, with all forms, IRCC correspondence, and follow-ups included. No juniors, no call centers.

Not sure whether to book your medical now or wait for IRCC's request? Tell us where you are in the process in the comments, and for a professional read on your own file, book a consultation with Ansari Immigration and we will map out the exact timing for your application. Keep it general in the comments; for advice on your specific case, 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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