An Immigration Medical Exam is one of the most important requirements newcomers to Canada must fulfill when immigrating to the country. In this post, our Ottawa and Orleans immigration physicians discuss the purpose of the exam, what to expect from the process and more.
While newcomers to Canada are often excited to arrive and begin their lives here, moving to a new country can also be nerve-wracking and stressful.
Along with completing paperwork and going through the proper processes to immigrate, completing your police check, arranging travel and completing the multitude of other items on your to-do list, you'll also need to have an Immigration Medical Exam performed by a Panel Physician approved by the Government of Canada. In this post, we'll discuss why this step is required and what's involved.
What is an Immigration Medical Exam (IME)?
Our Panel Physicians at Immigration Physician Ottawa offer a comprehensive range of Immigration Medical Exams (IMEs) and other services at our clinics in Ottawa and Orleans.
When immigration officials review your application process, they'll need specific, important information about your health. IMEs provide this information, including a medical history and physical examination.
Depending on your age or circumstances, you may also need to take additional diagnostic tests such as a urine sample, laboratory tests and X-rays. If these test results point to conditions that require further investigation or follow-up, you may also need to see a specialist.
Why are Immigration Medical Exams important for immigrants and refugees?
An IME is a health screening test that provides a safety screen against endemics in Canada.
Canadian citizens face different health issues than those in other countries around the world, and health screening for all newcomers (permanent and temporary residents, visitors, students, workers and refugees) planning to visit, study, work or live here helps to identify those issues.
The Immigration Medical Exam Process
When you take a medical exam for immigration purposes, your Panel Physician at Immigration Physician Ottawa will follow the following process:
1. Book an appointment.
Keeping timelines specified by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in mind, contact one of your clinics to book your IME with one of our Panel Physicians.
If you are scheduling a medical exam well in advance of your applications, contact us any time.
2. Visit our clinic for your IME.
You'll come to one of our centres for your complete IME. Vital information such as your height and weight will be recorded and your blood pressure and visual acuity will be checked.
The physician will feel your pulse and run simple tests to determine the status of various limbs and organs. The Panel Physician will not examine your genitals or rectal area. We also provide urine and blood testing.
There is an X-ray clinic located in our building in case you need additional testing during your appointment (only one appointment is required). Payment for your exam will be required on the day of your appointment.
3. Our team submits your exam results online to the government.
Once your complete IME is done, we send the results to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (you can check your IME report status online).
You'll also receive a document with your case number (IME/UMI) to confirm that you have completed your exam. Reports are submitted within 5 to 10 business days of your exam.
Immigration Medical Exams in Ottawa
If you need to book an Immigration Medical Exam at either of our clinics in Ottawa or Orleans, we are here to help. Our experienced and knowledgeable physicians see patients from all over Ontario and across Canada, and are here to make the process as easy as possible for you.
We offer all the services in-house that you'll need for your exam, so you won't have to go anywhere else. Exams can be conducted in multiple languages, including English, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian, Gujarati and Hindi. Please identify your language of preference when you contact us to book your appointment. Find more information in our FAQs. We are also happy to address any questions or concerns you may have about the exam process.
