IME Frequently Asked Questions
IME Clinic Inc has compiled FAQs from our patients from clinics across British Columbia including our locations in Vancouver, Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley & more
You will find the answers to our client’s most frequently asked questions about Immigration Medical Exams and their process.
If your IME case is returned by IRCC, please do NOT book another IME appointment. Instead, email us your IME/UMI number and we will provide you with further details.
Yes, you need to book an appointment with the panel physician for the first part of your Immigration Medical Exam. Then, you will get a referral for more testing at x-ray and blood labs. Please call to verify walk-in protocols due to COVID-19.
An Immigration Medical Exam (IME) is a series of medical examinations a panel physician performs to determine whether or not someone is medically admissible to come to Canada.
You do not need to prepare anything for the immigration medical exam, the blood work or the chest X-Rays. For the urinalysis, you will need to drink water before the appointment to provide a urine sample at the testing time.
Please check our detailed guide on IME for pregnant women.
Documents To Bring:
Passport (In the event that you do not have your passport with you, another form of photo id issued by the government of Canada will be accepted)
IMM1017 Form (Not required for an Upfront Medical Exam)
Acknowledgement of Claim for Refugee Applicants (and Refugee Protection Claimant Document if available)
The blood test checks for blood-borne infections such as HIV and Syphilis. You will be contacted to do further tests if anything abnormal is found. With treatable conditions like Syphilis, you can take medication and later retake your IME if you are medically inadmissible.
Only people aged 15 or older need to do the blood test.
The chest x-ray checks for Tuberculosis. If the panel physician finds anything abnormal, they will contact you for further tests.
Only people of age 11 or older needs to do the Chest X-rays.
The urinalysis checks for kidney diseases and diabetes. If the panel physician finds anything abnormal, they will contact you to do further tests.
Only people of age 5 or older needs to do the urinalysis.
Please check our guide on what to expect during your physical exam.
eMedical is a web system that IRCC operates for the electronic collection of immigration medical exam reports. This system allows panel physicians to submit their examination results right away. Therefore, it reduces the amount of documentation the applicant must keep and upload.
IME (Immigration Medical Exam) is for applicants from these countries applying for either permanent residency or temporary residency status. Permanent residency allows someone to stay an indefinite amount of time in Canada without becoming a Canadian citizen. The temporary residency allows someone to stay a definite amount of time. This is the case for study permit, work permit and/or Super Visas.
If you plan to stay in Canada for 6 months or less, you generally do not need an IME unless you plan to work certain jobs.
Yes, you can take an IME before you start the application process. This is an upfront medical exam. However, your IME is only valid for 12 months, whether you take it before or after starting the application. To learn more, you can also check our most frequently asked questions about upfront medical exams.
Yes. You must pay for all fees related to the Immigration Medical Exam i.e. $200 for kids and $240 for adults. This includes Only the Physical Examination Fee.
Please note you will be required to pay additional fees for the X-rays and Blood tests.
The fees are not covered by MSP or other insurance.
No, the Panel Physician does not decide on your admissibility or inadmissibility. The Panel Physician only gathers medical information and adds it to your medical records during the physical examination. After completing the blood work and the X-rays, the panel physician will submit your case to your immigration application.
The immigration officers will then decide if you are medically admissible or inadmissible. They can return your medical case and ask for further tests.
Check our guide on the role of a panel physician for better understanding. Also, our resources on what happens if you fail your IME can help you understand IME further.
Please check our guide on IME for refugees.
Firstly, if you have already started an application, you need to come to your Immigration Medical Exam with the IMM1017 form. You do not need to upload anything. The Panel Physician will record your medical results on eMedical which will be directly linked to your application.
However, if you are doing an upfront medical exam, you will need to upload the documents yourself. The Panel Physician will give you the IME information sheet to upload to your application.
In conclusion, you should always keep a physical copy of all records as proof of your medical exam.
Processing time: For any immigration-related concerns, please contact IRCC directly, or check the status of your application online. The Panel Physicians are not suitable to answer those questions and have no power over your application.
Medical surveillance is a medical check-up for a person newly arrived in Canada, to check that their inactive tuberculosis (TB) hasn’t progressed to active TB disease. Moreover, medical surveillance is required for anyone who was assessed as having inactive TB on their immigration medical examination (IME). It ensures that proper treatment can be provided, which helps protect the health and safety of you, your family and your community. Lastly, Inactive TB is the only medical condition for which medical surveillance is required.
You need Medical Surveillance if:
- On your immigration medical exam, an IRCC physician assessed that you have inactive tuberculosis (TB) and you’re already in Canada. OR
- You’ve been contacted and informed you need medical surveillance by the Public Health Liaison Unit of IRCC.
IME Clinic Inc does NOT provide the service of medical surveillance, therefore please DO NOT book your medical surveillance appointment with us.
The Public Health Liaison Unit at IRCC must have provided you with instructions on where and when to book. For any further queries please email the Public Health Liaison Unit. Provide your full name and unique client identifier (UCI) number in your email.
Please check our guide on IME for work permits.
These were some of the most IME FAQs from our clients in Vancouver, Surrey, Burnaby, Langley and other parts of the Lower Mainland, BC. We hope you found our answers useful. However, if you require further information on the Immigration Medical Exam process, please look at our Immigration Resources. Furthermore, you can also find useful information on our IME Guide.
Help us Add More Frequently Asked Questions
Please feel free to get in touch with us via Email if you require an answer to a question you couldn’t find in our FAQs selection. We will happily answer all your queries related to Immigration Medical Exam and its process. Moreover, we would add your question to our Frequently Asked Questions selection for the benefit of our other clients.