Immigration medical examination: Healthcare students who are work permit-exempt

Foreign nationals requiring a temporary resident visa (TRV)

Healthcare students who are doing their clinical clerkships or short-term practicums in Canada are authorized to work without a work permit under paragraph R186(p). However, they must apply for a TRV before seeking entry to Canada. In addition to submitting an application for a visitor visa and the regular supporting documents, healthcare students have the option to proceed with an upfront medical examination before submitting their application for a TRV.

If the applicant has completed an upfront IME with one of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) panel physicians, the applicant should provide one of the following documents with their application:

• a printout from eMedical entitled “Information Sheet”
• the first page of the “Upfront Medical Report, Client Biodata and Summary (Copy to Client)” form [IMM 1017B-UPFRONT]

The applicant must attach this proof of upfront medical examination to their TRV application before submitting it to the selected visa office.

If the applicant meets the requirements of paragraph R186(p) but has not undergone the IME before submitting the TRV application, the visa office will request that the applicant undergo the IME before issuing the TRV. For further guidance, consult Issuing instructions for medical examinations.

Foreign nationals who are TRV-exempt (including those who require an electronic travel authorization [eTA])

Healthcare students who are TRV-exempt may apply for admission under paragraph R186(p) at the port of entry (POE), provided that they have evidence of having completed the IME before seeking entry to Canada. Applicants should have undergone an upfront medical examination and should have the printed “Information Sheet” from the panel physician as proof of completion of the IME before their arrival in Canada. The information sheet is proof that the medical examination has been completed but does not provide the final result.

Role of the visa office

IRCC visa offices may facilitate the applications of TRV-exempt healthcare students who have undergone an upfront IME. Depending on whether the panel physician submits the medical files to IRCC on paper or electronically (eMedical), the applicant will receive one of the following proofs of completion of the upfront medical examination:

• a printout from eMedical entitled “Information Sheet”
• the first page of the “Upfront Medical Report, Client Biodata and Summary (Copy to Client)” form

Applicants will scan and send the proof of completion provided to them by the panel physician to the public email address of the visa office serving their country of legal residence.

The email to the visa office must contain the following:

• the clients’ full name as written in their passport, their date of birth and their contact information, including a telephone number and mailing address
• a scan of the IME proof of completion provided by the panel physician
• a scan of the biographical page of their passport for identity purposes

Visa offices overseas may facilitate the applications of TRV-exempt healthcare students who have undergone and passed an IME by doing the following:

• creating a unique client identifier (UCI) number, if one does not already exist when an eTA is created
• linking the student’s IME results to their UCI
• issuing a facilitation letter bearing the UCI to be presented to the POE officials that states that the foreign national has completed their medical examination

If the applicant did not pass the IME, the visa officers will advise the applicant by email.

Individuals found to be M2 2.02 or M2 2.02U must be issued the “Medical Surveillance Undertaking” form [IMM 0535] along with the Medical Surveillance Handout. They must also be informed that they must report for medical surveillance upon their arrival in Canada.

eTA for healthcare students

Even though the eTA process may not require an IME, a healthcare student from a visa-exempt country must still have completed an upfront medical. Healthcare students should apply for an eTA after having completed the IME. See the eTA overview page for guidance.