If you are applying to visit, study, work or immigrate as a permanent resident to go to Canada, you might need to pass a Medical Exam, under one of the following programs for example:
Find out below if you have to get a Medical Exam done.
Requirements for Temporary Residents (Visitors, Students, Workers)
- Visitors
- If you are intending to stay for 6 months or less, you don’t need to pass the Medical Exam.
- If you are intending to stay for more than 6 months, AND have lived 6 consecutive months or more in the last year in a country in the list below, you will need to pass the Medical Exam.
- If you are applying for a Super Visa, you will be required to pass the Medical Exam.
- Students
- If you intend to study for 6 months or less, you do not need to pass the Medical Exam.
- If you intend to study for more than 6 months, AND have lived 6 consecutive months or more in the last year in a country in the list below, you will need to pass the Medical Exam.
- Workers
- If you will be working in an occupation where public health is to be protected, you will need to pass the Medical Exam.
- If you intend to work for 6 months or less in a job not related to public health, you will not need to pass the Medical Exam.
- If you intend to work for more than 6 months, AND have lived 6 consecutive months or more in the last year in a country in the list below, you will need to pass the Medical Exam.
You can get your exam before you submit your application (before Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) asks you to). This is called an Upfront Medical Exam (For the Student Direct Stream for example).
If you intend to stay in Canada for more than 6 months, AND have lived 6 consecutive months or more in the last year in a country below where there is a “yes” in the second column, you will need a Medical Exam.
| Country/Territory | Medical Exam Required |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | YES |
| Albania | NO |
| Algeria | YES |
| American Samoa | NO |
| Andorra, Principality of | NO |
| Angola | YES |
| Antigua and Barbuda | NO |
| Argentina | NO |
| Armenia | YES |
| Australia | NO |
| Australian external territory: Christmas Island | NO |
| Australian external territory: Cocos (Keeling) Islands | NO |
| Australian external territory: Norfolk Island | NO |
| Austria | NO |
| Azerbaijan | YES |
| Bahamas | NO |
| Bahrain | NO |
| Bangladesh | YES |
| Barbados | NO |
| Belarus | YES |
| Belgium | NO |
| Belize | NO |
| Benin | YES |
| Bhutan | YES |
| Bolivia | YES |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | YES |
| Botswana | YES |
| Brazil | YES |
| British Crown Dependency: Channel Islands | NO |
| British Crown Dependency: Isle of Man, Mann | NO |
| British Indian Ocean Territory: Chagos Archipelago | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Akrotiri and Dhekelia | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Anguilla | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Bermuda | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: British Virgin Islands | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Cayman Islands | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Falkland Islands | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Gibraltar | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Monserrat | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Pitcairn | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cuna | NO |
| British Overseas Territory: Turks and Caicos | NO |
| Brunei Darussalam | YES |
| Bulgaria | NO |
| Burkina Faso | YES |
| Burundi | YES |
| Cabo Verde | YES |
| Cambodia | YES |
| Cameroon | YES |
| Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) | YES |
| Central African Republic | YES |
| Chad | YES |
| Channel Islands (British Crown Dependency) | NO |
| Chile | NO |
| Chile, Special territory of: Easter Island | NO |
| China (PRC) | YES |
| China (PRC), Hong Kong | YES |
| China (PRC), Macao | YES |
| Colombia | NO |
| Comoros, Union of | YES |
| Congo-Brazzaville | YES |
| Congo-Kinshasa | YES |
| Cook Islands (in association with New Zealand) | NO |
| Costa Rica | NO |
| Côte d’Ivoire | YES |
| Croatia | NO |
| Cuba | NO |
| Cyprus | NO |
| Czech Republic | NO |
| Denmark | NO |
| Denmark: Faroe Islands (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | NO |
| Denmark: Greenland (country within the kingdom of) | YES |
| Djibouti | YES |
| Dominica | NO |
| Dominican Republic | YES |
| Ecuador | YES |
| Egypt | NO |
| Eire | NO |
| El Salvador | YES |
| Equatorial Guinea | YES |
| Eritrea | YES |
| Estonia | NO |
| Eswatini | YES |
| Ethiopia | YES |
| Faroe Islands (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | NO |
| Fiji | YES |
| Finland | NO |
| France | NO |
| France: French Guiana – Overseas dept. and region of | NO |
| France: French Polynesia collectivité | NO |
| France: French Southern and Antarctic Territories | NO |
| France: Guadeloupe/Desirade – Overseas dept. and terr. | NO |
| France: Martinique. overseas department | NO |
| France: New Caledonia collectivité | NO |
| France: Réunion department | NO |
| France: Saint Barthélemy collectivité | NO |
| France: Saint Martin collectivité | NO |
| France: St. Pierre and Miquelon collectivité | NO |
| France: Wallis and Futuna collectivité | NO |
| Gabon | YES |
| Gambia | YES |
| Georgia | YES |
| Germany | NO |
| Ghana | YES |
| Greece | NO |
| Greenland (country within the Kingdom of Denmark) | YES |
| Grenada | NO |
| Guatemala | YES |
| Guernsey (Channel Islands) | NO |
| Guinea, Equatorial Rep. of | YES |
| Guinea, Rep. of | YES |
| Guinea-Bissau | YES |
| Guyana | YES |
| Haiti | YES |
| Holy See | NO |
| Honduras | YES |
| Hong Kong: SAR of the PRC | YES |
| Hungary | NO |
| Iceland | NO |
| India | YES |
| Indonesia | YES |
| Iran | NO |
| Iraq | YES |
| Ireland, Southern (Eire) | NO |
| Israel | NO |
| Italy | NO |
| Ivory Coast | YES |
| Jamaica | NO |
| Japan | NO |
| Jersey (Channel Islands) | NO |
| Jordan | NO |
| Kazakhstan | YES |
| Kenya | YES |
| Kiribati | YES |
| Korea, North (Democratic People’s Republic of) | YES |
| Korea, South (Republic of) | YES |
| Kosovo | YES |
| Kuwait | NO |
| Kyrgyzstan | YES |
| Lao, People’s Democratic Republic | YES |
| Latvia | YES |
| Lebanon | NO |
| Lesotho | YES |
| Liberia | YES |
| Libya | YES |
| Liechtenstein | NO |
| Lithuania | YES |
| Luxemburg | NO |
| Macao, SAR of the PRC | YES |
| Macedonia, Rep. of | NO |
| Madagascar | YES |
| Malawi | YES |
| Malaysia (Peninsular and East) | YES |
| Maldives | YES |
| Mali | YES |
| Malta | NO |
| Man, Isle of (British Crown Dependency) | NO |
| Marshall Islands | YES |
| Mauritania | YES |
| Mauritius | NO |
| Mexico | NO |
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | YES |
| Moldova, Republic of | YES |
| Monaco | NO |
| Mongolia | YES |
| Montenegro, Rep. of | NO |
| Morocco | YES |
| Mozambique | YES |
| Myanmar | YES |
| Namibia | YES |
| Nauru | YES |
| Nepal | YES |
| Netherlands | NO |
| Netherlands: Aruba, constituent country of the | NO |
| Netherlands: Bonnaire, special municipality of the | NO |
| Netherlands: Curaçao, constituent country of the | NO |
| Netherlands: Saba, special municipality of the | NO |
| Netherlands: Sint Eustatius, special municipality of the | NO |
| Netherlands: Sint Maarten, constituent country of the | NO |
| New Zealand | NO |
| New Zealand: Cook Islands (in free association with NZ) | NO |
| New Zealand: Niue (in free association with NZ) | NO |
| New Zealand: Tokelau (territory of NZ) | NO |
| Nicaragua | YES |
| Niger | YES |
| Nigeria | YES |
| Niue (country in free association with New Zealand) | NO |
| Norway | NO |
| Oman | NO |
| Pakistan | YES |
| Palau | YES |
| Palestinian Authority (West Bank/Gaza) | NO |
| Panama | YES |
| Papua New Guinea | YES |
| Paraguay | YES |
| Peru | YES |
| Philippines | YES |
| Poland | NO |
| Portugal | NO |
| Portugal: Azores, autonomous region of | NO |
| Portugal: Madeira, autonomous region of | NO |
| Qatar | YES |
| Romania | YES |
| Russia | YES |
| Rwanda | YES |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis, Federation of | NO |
| Saint Lucia | NO |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | NO |
| Samoa, American | NO |
| Samoa, Independent State of | NO |
| San Marino | NO |
| Sao Tome and Principe | YES |
| Saudi Arabia | NO |
| Senegal | YES |
| Serbia | NO |
| Seychelles | NO |
| Sierra Leone | YES |
| Singapore | YES |
| Slovakia | NO |
| Slovenia | NO |
| Solomon Islands | YES |
| Somalia | YES |
| South Africa | YES |
| South Sudan, Rep. of | YES |
| Spain (and Balearics) | NO |
| Spain: Canary Islands, autonomous community of Spain | NO |
| Sri Lanka | YES |
| Sudan, South | YES |
| Sudan. Republic of (North) | YES |
| Suriname | NO |
| Sweden | NO |
| Switzerland | NO |
| Syria | NO |
| Taiwan (Republic of China) | YES |
| Tajikistan | YES |
| Tanzania | YES |
| Thailand | YES |
| Timor-Leste | YES |
| Togo | YES |
| Tokelau (territory of New Zealand) | NO |
| Tonga | NO |
| Trinidad and Tobago | NO |
| Tunisia | YES |
| TürkiyeTurkiye | NO |
| Turkmenistan | YES |
| Tuvalu | YES |
| Uganda | YES |
| Ukraine | YES |
| United Arab Emirates | NO |
| United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Crown Dependency: Channel Islands | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Indian Ocean Territory: Chagos Archipelago | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: British Virgin Islands | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Crown Dependency: Isle of Man, Mann | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Akrotiri and Dhekelia | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Anguilla | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Bermuda | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Cayman Islands | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Falkland Islands | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Gibraltar | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Montserrat | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Pitcairn | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: St. Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cuna | NO |
| United Kingdom: British Overseas Territory: Turks and Caicos | NO |
| Uruguay | NO |
| USA (Continental USA and Hawaii) | NO |
| USA: Guam | YES |
| USA: Midway Island, territory of the USA | NO |
| USA: Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of the USA | YES |
| USA: Puerto Rico, unincorporated territory of the USA | NO |
| USA: Virgin Islands of the USA | NO |
| USA: Wake Island | NO |
| Uzbekistan | YES |
| Vanuatu | YES |
| Vatican City | NO |
| Venezuela | NO |
| Viet Nam | YES |
| Virgin Islands (British) | NO |
| Virgin Islands (of the United States) | NO |
| Yemen | YES |
| Zambia | YES |
| Zimbabwe | YES |
Requirements for Permanent Residents (Express Entry, Family Sponsorship, etc.)
If you apply for permanent residence, you must pass the Medical Exam. Your family members (spouse and dependents) must also pass a Medical Exam, even if they are not coming with you.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has put in place a temporary public policy for Medical Exams until October 6, 2024. You may be exempt from completing another Medical Exam if you meet all of these conditions:
- You applied, or are applying, for either permanent residence or temporary residence.
- You already live in Canada.
- You completed a previous Medical Exam in the last 5 years.
- Your previous Medical Exam indicated a low risk or no risk to public health or public safety.
It is possible to undergo a Medical exam prior to submitting an application (before IRCC asks you to). This is called an Upfront Medical Exam. However, in spouse/partner sponsoring applications, Upfront Medical Exams cannot be done anymore. The sponsored spouse/partner and their dependents will have to wait for IRCC’s instructions before doing their Medical Exam.
With regards to Express Entry, as of October 1, 2023, Express Entry applicants are no longer required to complete and submit an Upfront Medical Exam at the time of application submission, and applicants will be asked to await further instruction as to when a Medical Exam is required. More information on the dedicated Express Entry page.
What to expect
The Medical Exam must be performed by a panel physician that is authorized by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
For the Medical Exam day, you have to carry with you:
- your identification document (passport preferably),
- your contact lenses or eyeglasses, if applicable,
- any test result or Medical report in your possession relating to existing and/or previous medical conditions, and
- if you don’t do an Upfront medical exam, the Medical Report form. IRCC will transmit it to you.
If the IRCC-approved physician is not using eMedical, you will also need to carry 4 recent photos with you to the appointment. You can contact the physician directly to figure out if they use the eMedical system.
After the Medical Exam
- If you have done your Medical Exam only after being requested to by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you do not need to do anything else.
- If you have done an Upfront Medical Exam, the doctor will give you a document confirming that you got a Medical Exam. You will have to add a copy of that document with your application, before submitting it.
Validity
The exam is valid for 1 year, meaning that the expiration date of the visa that you will be issued (for temporary or permanent stay) will not exceed the one-year anniversary of the exam.
You may need to have another exam if you don’t enter Canada during that time.
You may need to have another exam if you don’t enter Canada during that time.
