If you received an invitation to apply through Express Entry, your immigration medical exam is an important part of your permanent residence application. In most cases, you should complete the exam after receiving the invitation and before submitting your application. This is known as an upfront medical exam.
The medical exam is only one part of your application. You must also follow the personalized document checklist in your IRCC account and submit the required forms, evidence, fees, and scans. Use the seven checks below to organize the medical step without overlooking the rest of your application.
Express Entry medical exam checklist at a glance
Use this as a working checklist, then confirm the current instructions in your IRCC account and on official Canada.ca pages.
- Confirm the exam timing after your invitation
- Check which family members need an exam
- Book an IRCC-approved panel physician
- Prepare identification and medical information
- Understand what the appointment may include
- Keep the proof the physician gives you
- Match the medical step to your full Express Entry checklist
1. Confirm the exam timing after your invitation
For Express Entry applicants, the usual sequence is to receive an invitation to apply, complete the immigration medical exam, and submit the permanent residence application with the required medical information. IRCC states that Express Entry applicants must get the exam after receiving an invitation to apply but before applying for permanent residence. Review the current medical examination requirements for permanent residence before booking.
Do not assume that an exam completed earlier will automatically satisfy the requirement for your invited application. Procedures can change, and your personalized checklist may contain specific directions. Check your invitation, submission deadline, and application-account instructions before arranging the appointment.
Plan ahead rather than leaving the appointment until the last possible moment. Availability varies between clinics and countries, and you may need time to obtain records or clarify what documents the clinic requires.
2. Check which family members need an exam
Your medical checklist should include every family member covered by your application instructions. IRCC indicates that family members must also have a medical exam, even if they are not coming to Canada with the principal applicant.
Review your family information carefully and identify who needs an appointment. Confirm each person’s name, date of birth, identity document, and appointment status. If someone lives in another city or country, they may need an appointment with a panel physician in that area.
Do not make assumptions based only on travel plans. If family circumstances have changed or you are unsure how the instructions apply, obtain clarification before submitting.
3. Book an IRCC-approved panel physician
Only an IRCC-approved panel physician can complete an immigration medical exam. Your usual family doctor cannot perform it unless that doctor is also listed as an approved panel physician.
Use the official IRCC panel physician directory to find an approved doctor in your country, territory, or region. You may be able to choose a physician in another country, but confirm the clinic’s availability, accepted identification, appointment process, and language arrangements directly with the clinic.
Verify that the physician’s listing matches the clinic you intend to visit. Keep the appointment confirmation and any instructions the clinic sends you. If no appointment is available nearby, check the directory for another approved physician.
4. Prepare identification and medical information
Prepare your appointment materials before the examination date. Requirements can vary by applicant, country, and clinic, so follow the clinic’s instructions as well as current IRCC directions.
- Identification: Bring proper identification, including a passport where available.
- Medical information: Gather relevant medical reports, test results, and information about existing or previous conditions.
- Medication details: Prepare a list of current medications.
- Corrective lenses: Bring eyeglasses or contact lenses if you use them.
- Clinic documents: Bring appointment confirmations, forms, photographs, or other requested materials.
IRCC identifies identification, medical reports or test results, eyeglasses or contact lenses, and current medication information as relevant materials. Check the current medical examination instructions and the clinic’s appointment message before attending.
5. Know what the medical appointment may include
An immigration medical exam is not identical for every applicant. Depending on age and circumstances, it may involve a medical history, physical examination, and age-specific laboratory or radiological tests.
IRCC’s guidance describes these possible components, but it does not predict the exact tests you will receive. Read the panel member guidance on immigration medical examinations for general context.
The clinic may ask about previous conditions, current treatment, medications, or medical records. Answer accurately and provide the reports or test results you brought. If additional information or testing is requested, follow the clinic’s instructions and keep records of what was requested.
6. Keep the proof the physician gives you
After the appointment, keep every document the panel physician or clinic gives you. For an Express Entry application, the physician may provide an information printout sheet or an IMM 1017B Upfront Medical Report form.
Scan the document clearly and save it with your application records. Keep the original or physical copy as well, unless the clinic gives you different instructions.
Do not upload a random appointment receipt in place of the document requested by your personalized checklist. Follow the exact upload field and instructions in your Express Entry application. If the clinic submits results directly, retain the printout or confirmation you receive.
7. Match the medical step to your full Express Entry checklist
The medical exam does not replace other documents required for permanent residence. You may also need passports or travel documents, language-test results, education records or an educational credential assessment, work-experience evidence, proof of funds, police certificates, and provincial nomination documents where applicable. Review the Express Entry document requirements alongside your personalized checklist.
| Review area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Medical proof | The information printout sheet, IMM 1017B, or other requested document is available and legible. |
| Family members | Required medical steps for accompanying and non-accompanying family members are addressed. |
| Identity and travel | Passports or travel documents are current and uploaded in the required format. |
| Eligibility evidence | Language results, education records, work evidence, proof of funds, police certificates, and nomination documents are included where applicable. |
| Submission controls | Mandatory fields are complete, applicable fees are paid, and scans are clear. |
Before submitting, compare every upload field with your personalized checklist. IRCC advises applicants to complete mandatory fields, pay applicable processing and biometrics fees, and include clear scans. Review the submission requirements before you submit.
For additional general context, see this Express Entry system overview. Rely on your IRCC account and current official instructions for the requirements and deadlines that apply to you.
When document review may be useful
A regulated immigration professional may help when your application includes several family members, documents from multiple countries, a previous refusal, or uncertainty about how medical proof fits your personalized checklist. The examination itself must still be completed by an approved panel physician, and medical decisions remain within the immigration medical process.
Ararat Canada Immigration is a Toronto-based consultancy serving clients worldwide. Its website states that it was founded by Kaiwan Ahmed Shori, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with Class L3 RCIC-IRB unrestricted practice, and is authorized to represent clients before IRCC, the Immigration and Refugee Board, and the Canada Border Services Agency.
Frequently asked questions
Can I complete my Express Entry medical exam before receiving an invitation to apply?
Current IRCC instructions generally require the exam after receiving an invitation and before submitting the permanent residence application. Verify the requirement before booking.
Can my family doctor perform the exam?
Only an IRCC-approved panel physician can complete it. Your family doctor may do so only if listed as an approved panel physician.
Do non-accompanying family members need medical examinations?
They may. IRCC states that family members must also have an exam even if they are not accompanying the applicant. Follow the instructions connected to each person.
What if I cannot find an available panel physician nearby?
Search the official directory for another approved clinic. You may be able to use a panel physician in another country, depending on availability and your circumstances.
What proof should I keep?
Keep the information printout sheet, IMM 1017B, or other proof provided and requested for your application. Save a clear copy and follow your personalized upload instructions.
Use the checklist before submitting
Handle the Express Entry medical requirement as seven checks: arrange the exam after your invitation, identify every family member who needs one, use an approved panel physician, prepare the requested information, understand that testing can vary, retain the proof, and reconcile it with the complete application checklist.
Verify current IRCC instructions before attending or submitting. A complete medical record cannot compensate for missing identity documents, language results, education evidence, work-history proof, police certificates, fees, or other required items.
For regulated support with organizing a Canadian immigration application, contact Ararat Canada Immigration, a Toronto-based consultancy serving clients worldwide.
