Express Entry Application Process No Longer Requires Upfront Medical Examination.
Starting from October 1st, there’s a change regarding the upfront medical examination requirement for Express Entry permanent residence applications:
- No Upfront Medical Exam Required: Effective October 1st, you are no longer obliged to undergo an upfront medical examination when submitting your Express Entry application for permanent residence.
- Immigrant Medical Exam (IME) Requirement: Keep in mind that an Immigrant Medical Exam (IME) performed by a panel physician remains a mandatory requirement for permanent residence.
- New Applicants: If you’ve never completed an IME before, you can now upload a blank document in the Express Entry profile Builder’s upload field during your application submission. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will subsequently provide instructions on when to schedule your medical exam.
- Previous IME: If you’ve previously undergone an IME for purposes such as work or study and are currently residing in Canada, you won’t need to repeat the IME when applying for permanent residence.
- IME Details: It’s essential to note that your IME must be conducted by a panel physician approved by IRCC. The final decision regarding your medical exam lies with IRCC, considering factors like public health and safety in Canada.
- Appointment Checklist: When attending your medical exam appointment, ensure you bring proper identification, any relevant medical reports, a list of current medications, and the Medical Report form if you didn’t receive an upfront medical exam. Additionally, if the panel physician doesn’t use eMedical, you may need four recent photographs.
- Medical Exam Components: The medical exam typically includes a medical history questionnaire, a physical examination, and, depending on your age, chest x-rays and other laboratory tests.
- Fees: Remember that you are responsible for covering all fees associated with the medical exam at the time of the appointment.
- Validity Period: The results of your medical exam are valid for 12 months. If you don’t become a permanent resident within that timeframe, you might need to undergo another examination.
Stay updated with the latest requirements to ensure a smooth Express Entry application process.
