Immigration Medical Examinations for Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Wellington Medical Clinic is a busy primary care clinic that commits to completing IME applicant medicals 7-10 days after the medical appointment. Please do not call for a status update on your application until at least 10 days have passed since your appointment. Thank you for your kind consideration
Purpose
The Immigration Medical Exam (IME) is conducted to assess whether an applicant poses a risk to Canadian Public Health or Public Safety, or represents an excessive demand on the healthcare system
The role of the Panel Physician and Clinic
The role of the Immigration Panel physician is ONLY to collect medical information on behalf of the IRCC - we do not determine the success of an application nor do we have any information on processing times
Familiarize yourself with support for applicants and reasonable expectations of the Panel Physician and Clinic:
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Neither the Panel Physician nor Wellington Medical Clinic staff can comment on application success nor processing times
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More general information may be found HERE
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Check the status of your application HERE
Types of Immigration Medicals
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Immigration Medical Exam - Generally for permanent residence
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Upfront Medical Exam - Generally for Visitors, Students and Workers
NOTE: Translation
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Our office does not provide any form of translation
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Please bring someone with you to assist in translation should this be required
Process
STEP 1: Identification
Make sure you have the correct identification. You must bring the following ID to your appointment:
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Valid Passport - NOTE: If you have had to surrender your passport to IRCC or Border Services, you may bring a certified copy of your passport to your appointment instead
If you are a Refugee or otherwise do not possess a passport, you may bring one of these forms of ID:
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Refugee Protection Identity Document
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Red Cross travel document
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UN laissez-passer
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OAS travel document
STEP 2: Review Tests and Costs
Review the costs and which tests you and your family will need
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Exam with Panel Physician:
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Cost: $255 per person aged 11+
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Cost: $128 per child aged 0-10
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This includes the physical exam and one follow up phone call if needed
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Chest X-Ray:
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Cost: $180 per person
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Who? Ages 11+
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Where? Only permitted at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
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Labs (bloodwork):
NOTE: You will not be able to have these tests done before your medical exam with
the Panel Physician; it is best for you to complete the tests on the same day as
your medical, and only after you have seen the physician
COST BREAKDOWN:
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Immigration Medical Exam: $255.00
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X-Ray (if needed): $180.00
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Labs (if needed): Approximately $80.00
NOTES:
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No fasting is required for these tests. You may eat and drink as normal on the day of your exam
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X-Rays and lab testing done for immigration purposes are NOT covered by provincial health services / MSP, so patients must pay for these services privately (except for Refugees, who are covered under the IFHP - Interim Federal Health Program)
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We do not directly bill to any insurance companies. If you have coverage through an insurance company, you must find out directly from the insurance company whether they will cover the cost of the testing. We will provide you with the invoice you can submit to them for reimbursement. We are not able to help you with this process
STEP 3: Scheduling an Appointment
Book your appointment by calling our office at 250-740-2100 ext 6
NOTE: Our office will require your UCI number or IME number upon booking the appointment - please have these numbers ready along with your Passport when you call our office
STEP 4: Photographs
Some patients may be required to have a professional photograph taken and bring it to their appointment with the Panel Physician – this photo must meet this criteria (print this guide and bring it with you the photographer):
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Required for patients over the age of 11: ONE photograph
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Children aged 0-10: NO photographs required
Every patient of every age will also have a digital photo taken in the office to be uploaded to the eMedical website
STEP 5: Imaging
Chest X-rays (age 11+) must be done at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. This is done on a walk-in basis only, as appointments cannot be scheduled ahead of time. Please arrive BEFORE 3:00pm
STEP 6: Lab tests
Walk in or schedule your lab appointment (age 15+) at Satellite Lab, or any LifeLabs location
SATELLITE LAB:
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Located directly beside our office - less than 1 minute walk
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Allows walk-in appointments or scheduled appointments - please click here for info about how to join their walk-in waiting list
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Only accepts Credit Card payment for their lab testing - no debit or cash
LIFELABS:
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Has 5 locations in Nanaimo
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Allows walk-in appointments and scheduled appointments
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Accepts multiple types of payment
STEP 7: Results
The physician will submit your results directly to IRCC once completed, and our office will email a copy to you as well. This can take 7-10 days after the date of your exam - sometimes longer, if additional testing is required. Please do not call for a status update on your application until at least 10 days have passed since your appointment. Thank you for your kind consideration
At your Immigration Medical Exam
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Bring your original passport and passport photo
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Bring all corrective eye wear (glasses/contact lenses)
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Bring a list of all your medications
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Applicants will be required to sign a consent declaration
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A digital photograph will be taken at your appointment and uploaded to your eMedical account - this is a mandatory expectation of IRCC (note: this does not replace the physical, professional photograph you must bring as mentioned in STEP 4)
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Parking is available on the street or within the parkade - fees apply (pay by card only)
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The exam itself will take 30 minutes or less; however, you will be in our office for approximately 1 hour, and the entire process including the lab and x-ray testing may take up to 3 hours
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Dr Martin is a male physician, Dr Oberholster is female - you may choose your preference when scheduling your appointment and/or bring a chaperone
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Only the applicant, a translator, a chaperone (if required) and small children of the applicant will be permitted to accompany the applicant into the exam room
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No breast, rectal or genital exams are required for immigration medicals; however, applicants may need to remove their outer clothing and wear an examination gown
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Results for blood tests and X-Rays must be transmitted to IRCC within 10 days of your exam. It is therefore highly recommended that you arrange for your X-ray and Lab tests (if needed) to be done on the same day as your exam. Our office cannot book these appointments for you
COVID 19
As of March 28, 2025 masks are no longer mandated inside medical facilities, but our office still requires the use of masks if you are having cold or flu symptoms
The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel
AUGUST 1, 2025 IMPORTANT UPDATE: CUAET appointments are no longer being offered
