🍁 Canada Immigration
Medical Exam 2026
Authoritative guide for permanent residence, temporary residents, and family sponsorship – based on IRPR, IRCC updates & panel physician requirements.
IRCC · 2026-03 edition
⏰ 2026 notable updates: • New upfront medical exam (eMED) upload procedure • Caregiver pilots now direct-to-PR – IME recommended before submission • Excess demand threshold adjusted (cost threshold update) • TB screening expansion for certain temporary residents.
Permanent residence
- 🔬 Mandatory for: all principal applicants + family members (even if non‑accompanying)
- 🫁 Health conditions: tuberculosis (active/inactive), syphilis, HIV (if risk to public health or excessive demand)
- 💉 Vaccination: not mandatory for PR, but may be required for certain public‑facing jobs later
- 📆 Validity: 12 months from date of IME
excessive demand threshold 2026: $ 27,185 / year (cumulative 5 yrs ~$135,925)
🏥 Only IRCC‑authorized panel physicians (civil surgeons) can perform the IME. Results are submitted electronically via eMedical.
Source: IRPR s.30(1)(a) , s.38; Operational bulletin 2026-02.
Temporary residents
- 🌍 Required if you have lived 6+ consecutive months in a designated country/territory (high incidence of TB) in the year before entry
- 🏥 Also mandatory for certain jobs: healthcare, child‑care, primary/secondary teachers, etc.
- ⏳ IME valid for 12 months, must be valid at entry
- 🔄 If you apply for PR later, you may be able to reuse the IME if less than 12 months and submitted with new application
✈️ Designated country list (TB incidence ≥ 30/100,000) updated March 2026: includes India, Philippines, China, Vietnam, Nigeria, Haiti, etc.
Source: IRPR s.16(2) & s.30(1)(b); DCOB 2026-03.
Family sponsorship
- ❤️ Spouses, partners, dependent children, parents & grandparents must undergo IME (even if already in Canada)
- 🩺 Parents and grandparents (PGP) are subject to excessive demand assessment (unless exempt under certain disability provisions)
- 📑 Upfront medical exam recommended to speed up processing – use form IME 1017
- 🔄 If a sponsored person previously passed an IME for a visa, a new one may be required if the file is not finalized within 12 months
Based on IP 2 (Sponsorship) and IP 8 (Family class).
📌 2026 targeted updates for immigration medical
👩⚕️ Caregiver pilots
Home Child Care Provider & Home Support Worker now grant PR on application. Upfront IME + eMedical is strongly advised to avoid delays. Panel physicians can submit directly.
⚕️ Biopsy / TB follow-up
For applicants with old healed TB, surveillance undertaking required. In 2026, Quebec and Ontario accept remote surveillance agreements.
🧾 eMedical portal
All panel physicians must use the new eMedical v3.0 interface; paper forms no longer accepted. Applicants receive an IMM 1017B (information sheet) instead of a paper copy.
💰 Panel physician fees – indicative 2026 (CAD)
| City / Clinic | Adult (14+) | Child 5‑13 | Child 0‑4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver (Dr. Smith Med) | $290 | $160 | $90 |
| Toronto (Brampton Travel Health) | $310 | $170 | $95 |
| Montreal (CDM) | $270 | $150 | $80 |
| Calgary (Bridgeport Medical) | $295 | $160 | $85 |
| Halifax (Ocean Clinic) | $280 | $150 | $80 |
* Additional lab / X-ray fees may apply if TB or other conditions require further tests. These are estimates, contact the clinic.
✅ How to complete your Immigration Medical Exam (IME)
1 Find an IRCC‑authorized panel physician near you – use the official IRCC tool.
2 Book an appointment (bring: passport / ID, eyeglasses/contacts, any previous chest X‑rays, medical history).
3 Undergo the exam: physical, chest X‑ray (if 11+), syphilis/HIV test, urine, and for certain ages: additional labs.
4 Panel physician submits eMedical to IRCC; you’ll get an information sheet (IMM 1017B). Keep it safe.
5 IRCC assesses the results. If surveillance is required, you’ll receive instructions upon arrival or before PR.
🕒 IME validity: exactly 12 months from when the panel physician signs. Ensure you land before it expires.
🍁 Official source notice: This guide consolidates information from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPR), IRCC operational instructions (2026‑02), and Designated Medical Practitioner handbook. The excessive demand cost threshold for 2026 is $27,185 per year (total 5‑year impact > $135,925) – may exempt certain family class applicants. Medical inadmissibility remains rare but may apply if the condition endangers public health/safety or causes excessive demand. Always refer to your local panel physician and the latest IRCC website.
🇨🇦 Canada Immigration Medical Examination 2026 – for permanent residence, temporary entry, and family reunification. Updated March 2026.
