The standard picture of an eTA is an email arriving within minutes of hitting submit. That picture is accurate often enough that when something different happens, it catches people off guard. A medical exam request is one of those moments: your application has paused, something specific is being assessed, and the path forward is less obvious than filling out a form. If you have already submitted your application and want to track progress, see how to check your eTA application status while you work through the steps below. The good news is that the process is structured and well-defined. Once you know the sequence, there is nothing mysterious about it.
If your eTA application has flagged a medical exam requirement, the immediate step is to read the instructions IRCC sends you carefully, locate an approved panel physician, book your appointment, and attend with the right documents. The physician sends results directly to IRCC; you do not mail anything yourself. Your application then continues from where it paused.
Understanding Why a Medical Exam Was Requested for Your eTA
Most eTA decisions happen automatically because the application involves no flags that require human review. A medical exam request means IRCC needs to assess whether a health condition could affect your admissibility to Canada. Specifically, medical conditions that endanger public health or safety, or that would place excessive demand on Canada’s health or social services, can lead to inadmissibility. The exam is how IRCC gathers the information it needs to make that call.
It is worth being clear about what the exam is not. The panel physician who conducts it does not decide whether your eTA is approved or refused. That decision belongs to IRCC. The physician’s role is to examine you, document findings accurately, and transmit those findings. You are not being judged at the clinic; you are being assessed so that IRCC can make an informed decision later.
A medical exam request does not mean your application is heading toward refusal. It means a step has been added. Many people complete the exam and receive approval without further complication.
Finding an Approved Panel Physician Near You
This is where most people lose time, and it is the step that deserves the most attention. You cannot go to your family doctor or any walk-in clinic. IRCC only accepts results from designated panel physicians, who are doctors specifically approved to conduct immigration medical exams and submit results through the proper channels.
IRCC maintains a searchable list of panel physicians worldwide. The instructions in your notification will point you toward finding one. When you search, filter by your location and confirm the physician is currently accepting immigration exam appointments before you book. Availability varies considerably by region, and in some areas the nearest approved physician may require travel.
One practical step before your appointment: contact the clinic to ask whether they use the eMedical system. If they do not, you will need to bring four recent photographs to your appointment. If they do use eMedical, the photograph requirement is handled differently. Getting this wrong means a wasted trip, so confirm it when you call.
Book as early as you reasonably can. Processing your application cannot continue until IRCC receives your exam results, and delays at the booking stage compound into longer overall wait times.
What to Expect During Your Medical Examination
Knowing what happens at the appointment removes a lot of the anxiety around it. The visit follows a consistent structure regardless of which panel physician you see.
When you arrive, clinic staff will verify your identity and take your photograph for IRCC records. Bring your passport; it is the strongly recommended form of identification. Other documents are technically accepted (national identity cards, certain driver’s licences, original birth certificates for minors under 18, refugee travel documents, and several others), but a passport is the cleanest option and eliminates any ambiguity.
You will also need to bring the Medical Report form IRCC sent you (either IMM 1017E or IMM 1020E), your eyeglasses or contact lenses if you wear them, any medical reports or test results related to previous or existing conditions, and a list of your current medications. Proof of previous vaccinations (diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, COVID-19) is encouraged but not required.
The physician will go through a medical history questionnaire with you, covering your existing conditions and current medications. The physical examination itself covers height and weight, hearing and vision, heart and lungs, abdomen, limb movement, and skin. Genital or rectal areas are not examined. At any point during the appointment, you have the right to a chaperone, and you can pause the exam to ask questions or make that request.
The exam is thorough but not invasive beyond what you would expect at a standard medical check-up. Come prepared with your documentation and it will move efficiently.
FAQ
How long does it typically take for the medical exam results to be processed? Medical exam results are valid for 12 months from the date of the exam. Processing time after IRCC receives the results varies; most standard eTA decisions arrive within minutes, but applications requiring supporting documents (including medical results) can take several days or longer. There is no fixed published timeline for this specific step.
Can I choose any doctor for my medical exam? No. IRCC only accepts results from designated panel physicians. Your regular doctor, a walk-in clinic, or any physician not on the approved list cannot conduct this exam for immigration purposes. Use the IRCC panel physician finder to locate an approved doctor in your area.
What if I disagree with the medical exam findings? The panel physician does not make the final decision; IRCC does. If there is a problem with your exam results, IRCC will contact you in writing. That letter is your opportunity to respond, provide additional information, or seek clarification. Do not attempt to dispute findings directly with the clinic.
Is there a cost associated with the medical examination? You are responsible for paying all fees at your appointment. This includes the panel physician’s fee, any radiologist fees, costs for special tests or investigations, and any specialist consultations that may be required. If your application is ultimately refused after the exam, those fees are not refunded.
What happens if I miss my medical exam appointment? Missing your appointment delays your application, since IRCC cannot proceed without the results. If you cannot complete the exam due to exceptional circumstances or because no panel physician is accessible to you, you must submit a letter of explanation to IRCC using their web form (selecting “Add a document to your application”) or through the Client Support Centre.
After the Exam: How Your Results Are Submitted
Once the examination is complete, the panel physician sends the results directly to IRCC. You do not need to mail, upload, or otherwise forward any documents yourself. This applies whether you had a streamlined medical exam or one requested after submitting your application.
What you should do is keep the document the physician gives you confirming the exam was completed. Hold onto it until your application is fully resolved. It is your proof that the requirement was met, and you may need it if a question arises later.
Your application resumes its review process once IRCC receives and assesses the results. The exam results are valid for 12 months, so if your application takes time to process, you will not need to repeat the exam within that window.
Monitoring Your eTA Application Status After the Medical Exam
With the exam done and results submitted by the physician, your job is largely to wait and watch. You can check your eTA application status online to track where things stand. Check it periodically rather than obsessively; the status will update when IRCC has acted.
Keep an eye on the email address you used for your application. If IRCC needs anything further, that is where the message will go. Spam filters occasionally catch automated IRCC emails, so if you are expecting communication and nothing has arrived, check your junk folder before assuming silence means nothing is happening.
Potential Delays and How to Follow Up
Most delays after a medical exam fall into one of a few patterns, and recognising them helps you respond rather than just wait.
The most common source of delay is a gap between the exam and IRCC receiving the results. If you attended your appointment and several weeks pass with no status change, the physician’s submission may have encountered a technical issue. Contact the clinic to confirm the results were transmitted successfully.
A second source of delay is IRCC identifying something in the results that requires additional information. If that happens, you will receive written contact from IRCC. Read that letter carefully: it will specify exactly what is needed and how to respond. Responding promptly and completely is the only lever you have at that stage.
A third pattern involves applicants who book their appointment too close to a planned travel date. Medical exam results take time to transmit and assess, and eTA applications requiring supporting documents can take several days beyond the standard minutes-long processing. If your flight is within a few weeks and you have just received the exam request, book your physician appointment immediately. Do not treat the booking as something you can schedule at your convenience.
If your application is ultimately refused after the medical review, the outcome is not necessarily permanent. What happens after a Canada eTA refusal covers what options remain and how to understand the decision you received.