Moving to Canada from Kenya: the medical exam and what to do first
Your immigration medical exam must be done by an IRCC panel physician, and we are not one. We help with the rest: a consultation with Dr. Paul Yonga, Consultant Infectiologist, your school or employer health forms, and travel vaccines.
Do you need an immigration medical exam for Canada?
CA Medlynks and Dr. Paul Yonga are not IRCC panel physicians. We cannot do your Canada immigration medical exam or submit anything to IRCC through eMedical. An exam done here would not be accepted.
| Your situation | Medical exam (IME) |
|---|---|
| Permanent residence | Yes, for you and your family members |
| Study or work for more than 6 months, after living in Kenya for 6 months or more in a row in the past year | Yes. Kenya is on IRCC's list of countries that need an exam |
| Work in health care, child care, primary or secondary schools, or in-home care | Usually yes, even for shorter stays |
| Visit, study or work for 6 months or less, in other jobs | Usually no |
IRCC is clear on who does the exam: "Your own doctor can't do the medical exam." It must be one of IRCC's panel physicians. They send the results to IRCC through eMedical. If you take the exam before you apply (an upfront exam, allowed for students, visitors and workers), they give you an information sheet to send in with your application. If IRCC asks you for the exam later, you get instructions with an IMM 1017E form. Results are valid for 12 months.
When we checked IRCC's official panel physician search on 2026-10-01, every panel physician listed for Kenya worked at the IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre in Gigiri, Nairobi. Search the list yourself before you book.
A medical done with a clinic that is not an IRCC panel physician is not accepted, and you would have to repeat it with a panel physician.
What we can help with
The IME itself checks your health for IRCC. It does not cover everything a school or employer in Canada may ask for. Students and workers often get a separate immunization form, and people going into health or child care are often asked for TB screening and proof of vaccines.
Dr. Yonga can go through that form with you, look at the vaccination records you have, give the vaccines you are missing with a dated record, and talk through travel health for your move.
| Item | Unit | KES |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation | ||
| Travel medicine consultation with Dr. Paul Yonga | per visit | 10,000 |
| Vaccines often asked for by schools and employers | ||
| MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) | per dose | 4,500 |
| Varicella (chickenpox) | per dose | 12,000 |
| Tdap + Polio (Adacel) | per dose | 10,000 |
| Influenza | per dose | 4,500 |
| Hepatitis A + B (Twinrix) | per dose | 11,000 |
| Blood test for your own information | ||
| TB blood test (IGRA) | per test | 9,800 |
Vaccine prices are the same as on our travel medicine page. Tell us which vaccines you want before your visit and we'll confirm they are available. A TB blood test here is for your own information or your school's form. It does not replace anything in the IRCC exam.
What to bring to the consultation
- Your passport
- Every vaccination card, booklet or certificate you can find
- The health or immunization form from your school or employer
- Records of any long-term condition, past TB treatment or regular medicine
How it works
- Check if you need an IMEUse the table above and the IRCC pages listed below. If you do, book it with an IRCC panel physician.
- Send us your formsWhatsApp us the health form from your school or employer and photos of your vaccination records.
- Consultation with Dr. YongaHe goes through the form, your records and your travel health questions.
- Vaccines and a dated recordYou get the vaccines you choose, and each dose is written down with its date.
Canada medical exam: questions people ask us
Can CA Medlynks do my Canada immigration medical exam?
No. IRCC says your own doctor can't do the medical exam. It has to be an IRCC panel physician. CA Medlynks and Dr. Yonga are not on IRCC's list, so an exam done here would not be accepted.
I am going to study in Canada for more than 6 months. Do I need an IME?
If you have lived in Kenya for 6 months or more in a row in the year before you go, yes. Kenya is on IRCC's list of countries that need an exam for stays over 6 months.
What is an upfront medical exam?
Students, visitors and workers can take the IME with a panel physician before applying. The panel physician gives you an information sheet from eMedical to include with your application. Results are valid for 12 months.
Does the IME include vaccines?
IRCC does not list vaccines as part of the exam for temporary residents. Your school or employer may ask for vaccines separately, and we can help with those.
Can a TB blood test from CA Medlynks be used for IRCC?
No. The panel physician decides which tests the IME needs and arranges them. A test here is for your own information or for a school form that asks for it.
Consultant Infectiologist. Head, Infectious Disease and International Health Clinic, CA Medlynks.
Page updated: 2026-10-07 · About Dr. Yonga
Sources we checked
Immigration rules change. These are the official pages this page is based on, checked between 2026-10-01 and 2026-10-07. The instructions you receive from the embassy or immigration department always come first.
- IRCC: medical exams for visitors, students and workers
- IRCC: medical exam requirements by country (Kenya)
- IRCC: medical exam for permanent residence applicants
- IRCC: Canadian Panel Member Guide to Immigration Medical Examinations (upfront exams, eMedical)
- IRCC: Medical Report form IMM 1017E (sample)
- IRCC: find a panel physician
Book a consultation before you move to Canada
Send us your school or employer form on WhatsApp. We'll tell you the total before you come in. Daykio Plaza, Off Ngong Lane, Nairobi.