Beginning October 1, 2023, upfront medical examinations ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED at the time of application for Express Entry. IRCC announced recently that applicants must wait for the issuance of the medical exam instructions before booking an appointment with a panel physician. I know this is quite confusing since we are used to providing eMedical Information Sheet (proof of completion of medical exam) upfront when applying for permanent residence under Express Entry in compliance of IRPR Section 10 otherwise known as completeness check. Please find below
explanation for clarification.
Documents Requirements – Applications received before October 1, 2023:
- The medical examination confirmation is required up front and must be valid at the time of application.
- The applicant must include the immigration medical examination (IME) number in their e-APR.
- The applicant must provide a copy of either the information printout sheet or the Upfront Medical Report form [IMM 1017B, whichever the panel physician provides upon completion of the medical examination.
- Applicants are encouraged to undergo medical examinations closer to the date their application is submitted to avoid processing delays.
- Exceptions are made only in rare circumstances that are outside of the client’s control (e.g., cancellation of the appointment by the panel physician at the last minute without time to reschedule).
In exceptional circumstances, IRCC may accept
- proof that a medical appointment is scheduled or
- a letter of explanation of best efforts
However, these are not a guarantee of acceptance.
Document requirements – Applications received on or after October 1, 2023:
- Express Entry applicants are no longer required to complete and submit an upfront medical examination (UFM) at the time of application submission, and applicants will be asked to await further instruction as to when an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) is required.
- If applicants have previously completed an IME, they will be asked to include a copy in the pre-existing upload field for IMEs. Applicants who have never completed an IME will be instructed to upload a blank document.
- If no IME was provided, processing offices should conduct an integrated search for any previously completed IMEs, and associate the IME to the application accordingly.
- Processing offices should then review and apply the temporary public policy (TPP), if the applicant is eligible.
- If no IME is found, and the TPP cannot be applied, instructions to undergo an IME should be sent to the applicant.
Individuals who must submit this documentation
- the principal applicant
- their spouse or common-law partner
- their dependent children, including non-accompanying
If you receive an invitation to apply on or after June 29, 2021, you must submit your application for permanent residence within 60 days. Express Entry applicants are required to submit a complete electronic application for permanent residence (eAPR) within the 60 calendar days of being issued an invitation to apply (ITA). The application and all supporting documents must be submitted electronically through the applicant’s online account. Applications are assessed for completeness upfront. An application found to be incomplete should be rejected and all fees associated with the application should be refunded to the applicant.
If you have questions regarding the above article, you may contact Marjorie at [email protected]
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain, or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of CICC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
