Booking an Upfront Medical Exam for Express Entry in Brampton: What GTA Applicants Need to Know in 2026

If you're applying for Canadian permanent residence through Express Entry, one important step falls squarely on your shoulders: booking your own immigration medical exam. IRCC requires Express Entry applicants to get a medical exam after receiving their invitation to apply but before they apply — this is called an upfront medical exam. IRCC doesn't send you any documents to take the exam; you contact a panel physician directly, and the clock on your submission window is already running.

Here's what that means for applicants in Brampton, Mississauga, and across the GTA — and how Complete Immigration Medical Centre can help you get it done efficiently.

What is an upfront medical exam?

An upfront medical exam is simply an immigration medical exam (IME) that you arrange yourself, before IRCC asks for it. The exam itself is the same standardized assessment: a medical history questionnaire, a physical examination, and — depending on your age — a chest X-ray and laboratory tests. Only a doctor on IRCC's list of panel physicians can perform it. Your own family doctor cannot, no matter how qualified — IRCC requires the exam to be done by a panel physician it has approved.

Complete Immigration Medical Centre is an IRCC-approved panel physician clinic in Brampton, Ontario, so your exam here meets IRCC's requirements for Express Entry and other application streams.

Why timing matters more than ever

Express Entry candidates have 60 calendar days from their invitation to apply to submit their application for permanent residence. Because the medical must be done upfront, booking promptly after your ITA helps protect your timeline. Keep in mind that IME results are valid for 12 months, so timing your exam sensibly matters for longer-processing applications too.

Other streams have their own clocks. Applicants in other permanent residence categories receive instructions from IRCC after submitting their application and must complete the exam within 30 days of getting those instructions — this also applies to applicants being sponsored as a spouse, partner or child. Whichever stream you're in, delays in completing the medical can slow your whole file.

Everything in one location — no running across town

One common frustration for GTA applicants is being sent to multiple locations for a single exam: one clinic for the physical, a lab across town for bloodwork, an imaging centre for the X-ray. At Complete Immigration Medical Centre, blood testing is done at the clinic and there is an X-ray clinic in the same building, so every test for the exam is completed in one location, with same-day on-site testing.

We also use eMedical, IRCC's paperless processing system, which means your results are submitted electronically — no paper reports to mail, no couriering documents yourself.

Who we see

As an IRCC-approved panel physician clinic, we perform immigration medical exams for:

Permanent residence applicants (including Express Entry, PNP, and family sponsorship)
Visitor visa applicants who require an IME
Study permit applicants
Work permit applicants
Refugee applicants

What to bring to your appointment

IRCC strongly recommends bringing your passport as identification. It's also wise to bring your Medical Report form (IMM 1017E or IMM 1020E) if IRCC sent you one (upfront exams don't come with one), a list of medications you take, any medical reports or test results for previous or existing conditions, glasses or contact lenses if you wear them, and proof of previous vaccinations if available — proof of vaccination is not mandatory. Being open about your medical history with the panel physician helps keep your file moving — IRCC notes that processing your medical exam could take longer if you don't disclose previous or existing conditions.

A reassuring note: the panel physician does not decide your immigration application. We perform the exam and submit the results; IRCC makes the final decision about your medical exam and will contact you in writing if there's a problem.

After your exam

Once the exam is done, the physician sends the results to IRCC and gives you a document confirming that you had a medical exam — keep it as proof of your IME. If you had an upfront medical exam for Express Entry, you must upload that confirmation document when you submit your application. If you had your exam after submitting your application, you don't need to send IRCC anything further.

Serving Brampton, Mississauga, and the GTA — in your language

Complete Immigration Medical Centre is located at 36 Vodden Street East, Unit 203, Brampton, Ontario, and serves applicants from Brampton, Mississauga, and across the GTA. There's free parking for patients, the clinic is close to Highways 410, 401 and 407, and it's about a 10-minute walk from the Brampton GO station. Our team speaks English, Hindi, and Punjabi, so you can go through your medical history and ask questions comfortably in the language you prefer. Patients have rated us 4.8 stars on Google.

How to book

Booking is easy: schedule online, or simply walk in — walk-ins are welcome. Exam fees are listed on our prices page. If you've received an Express Entry ITA or an IRCC medical instruction letter, we recommend booking as soon as possible to stay well within your deadline.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. IRCC requirements can change — always confirm current rules at canada.ca. Completing a medical exam does not assure any immigration outcome; all decisions are made by IRCC.