Glossary · Permanent residence, and some temporary residence files.
IME
Immigration Medical Examination
The panel-physician exam IRCC uses for medical admissibility.
On the official record
- For Express Entry, IRCC says get the exam after the ITA and before you apply. That is an upfront medical exam.
- Only a panel physician can do it. Your own doctor cannot.
- The completeness PDI treats medical confirmation as a mandatory upfront document, with printed transition rules for older files and a temporary public policy for some in-Canada applicants until 5 Oct 2029.
Common mix-ups
- Not a family-doctor checkup.
- Not an approval of the PR file.
Confirm on the official page
Start here: IRCC: Medical examination for permanent residence applicants.
The catch
Results are valid for 12 months on the PR medical page. If the public apply page and the completeness PDI disagree on whether an IME must be in the eAPR, the PDI wins.
Related
Source: IRCC: Medical examination for permanent residence applicants · official page Aug 4, 2026 · checked Aug 21, 2026
Source: IRCC PDI: Express Entry completeness check · official page Jan 23, 2026 · checked Aug 21, 2026 · If a public page and this PDI disagree, this PDI wins.
Source: IRCC: Apply for permanent residence through Express Entry · official page Jun 22, 2026 · checked Aug 21, 2026