Can any doctor perform a medical exam for Canada immigration? Well, Canadian newcomers who need a medical exam might be surprised to learn that they cannot visit any doctor to have their immigration medical exam (IME) completed.
Considering the significance of medical exams for many Canadian newcomers, IRCC clarifies that not all doctors are authorized to perform a medical exam for Canada immigration.
Particularly, only a panel physician authorized by IRCC can do the immigration medical exam. In simpler terms, unless the applicant’s family doctor is named on IRCC’s list of panel physicians, they cannot be chosen to administer an IME.
Note: Panel physicians are defined in IRCC’s glossary as medical doctors appointed by IRCC to perform immigration medical examinations.
IRCC notes that panel physicians can be found around the world. According to IRCC, the medical exam recipient must inform the physician of where their application will be processed. Well, this is done so that the examination results are sent to the right office. Moreover, the candidate is required to pay for the medical exam themselves.
Recent Policy Amendments Related To Medical Exams for Canada Immigration
Although policy amendments dating back several years have changed the medical exam requirements for some Canadian newcomers, many international applicants seeking entry into Canada still require a medical exam as part of the TR or PR process.
For instance, IRCC removed the upfront medical examination requirement for Express Entry candidates last October.
This doesn’t mean medical exams are no longer required for PR in Canada. This policy simply implies that Express Entry applicants do not need to complete them before submitting their application.
The difference between the candidate & an applicant is that the former are still in the pre-submission stage of the process. Moreover, a candidate becomes an applicant once they submit their application to IRCC.
On the other hand, certain work permit applicants are still needed to obtain a medical exam to work in Canada. The same is true for certain study permit applicants.