Before you travel to Canada
Travelling to Canada: step by step
Step 1: Check if you’re eligible
Step 2: Before you travel
Before you travel to Canada, make sure you prepare the right documents. Get a new immigration medical exam (if required), confirm your health insurance coverage, and consider completing the optional Advance Declaration.
Get a new medical exam, if required
If you applied for a study permit or TRV outside Canada
Immigration medical exam results are only valid for 12 months and your medical exam must be valid when you enter Canada.
If you completed an immigration medical exam for your application and you will be entering Canada more than 12 months after completing your medical exam, you must take another medical exam before travelling to Canada. If you need to take a second medical exam, be sure to complete this well in advance before you plan to travel to Canada and send a copy of your new E-medical to IRCC through a webform as soon as you receive it. Select “Add a document to your application” as the request category to submit your E-medical. When you travel to Canada bring both your previous and new E-medical copies with you.
If you get a request in your online IRCC account for a medical exam it is important to complete the medical exam or provide an explanation by the deadline. See our medical exam FAQ for details.
If a medical exam was not required for your study permit application, you do not need to complete one unless your situation has changed since you applied and you now require a medical exam. This could apply to you if, for example, you lived in a designated country for 6 months or longer consecutively in the year before you travel to Canada. In this case, complete the medical exam with a panel physician well in advance of travelling, and send a copy of your E-medical to IRCC through a webform as soon as you receive it. Select “Add a document to your application” as the request category to submit your E-medical. Bring a copy of the E-medical with you when you travel to Canada.
In addition, if you are a medical student or will work in jobs which require a medical exam, check that your study and/or work permit conditions allow you to work in such jobs. You cannot work in jobs that require a medical exam until you have received a study or work permit with the appropriate conditions and are eligible to work.
If you are a continuing student with a valid study permit who has been outside Canada for more than 6 months
If you’ve been in a designated country for 6 months or longer in the past 12 months, you will need to complete a medical exam with a panel physician before travelling to Canada. You should take the medical exam well in advance before you plan to travel to Canada and send a copy of your new E-medical to IRCC through a webform as soon as you receive it. Select “Other” as the request category to submit your E-medical. Bring a copy of the E-medical with you when you travel to Canada.
In addition, if you are a medical student or will work in jobs that require a medical exam, check that your study and/or work permit conditions allow you to work in jobs which require a medical exam. If you do not have the conditions, complete a medical exam and apply to change conditions on your study and/or work permit. You cannot work in jobs that require a medical exam until you have received a study or work permit with the appropriate conditions and are eligible to work. If your study and/or work permit conditions are correct but you later lived in a designated country for 6 months or longer consecutively, contact International Student Advising for support.
Confirm your Health insurance coverage
If you’re new to UBC
As a new international student, you have temporary health insurance coverage for your first three months through iMED. Once you’ve arrived in Canada, if you will stay in the province for more than 6 months, you must apply for the BC Medical Service Plan (MSP) to cover your remaining time at UBC. Learn more about health insurance.
Students in programs longer than 6 months (including degree-seeking, two-term exchange, and VIRS students studying more than 6 months)
As a new international student who will be studying for more than 6 months, who has registered in one or more on-campus courses, and is charged UBCSUO student fees, you have temporary, private health insurance coverage for your first 3 months through iMED.
iMED is designed to cover your 3-month waiting period before you are eligible for the British Columbia (BC) government Medical Services Plan (BC MSP) – you must apply for MSP as soon as you enter BC. Learn more about health insurance for international students.
Your iMED coverage dates depend on when you start your program:
- Winter Term 1 (September to December): coverage will start on August 10
- Winter Term 2 (January to April): our coverage will start on December 10
- Summer Term 1 (May to August): your coverage will start on April 10
If you arrive before your coverage dates, you should purchase iMED Early Arrival Coverage. For example, if you will arrive in July but your coverage starts August 10, you need additional coverage from when you arrive in Canada until August 10.
If you arrive in the calendar month after your iMED insurance starts, you should apply to change your iMED coverage dates. For example, if you will arrive in September but your coverage starts August 10, you will need to adjust your coverage dates to match your 3-month waiting period for MSP.
one-term exchange and non-degree seeking Students studying less than 6 months
As a new international student who will be studying for less than 6 months, who is registered in one or more on-campus courses, and who is charged UBCSUO student fees, you have temporary health insurance coverage through iMED for the entire duration of your program of studies.
One-term exchange students have set iMED coverage dates for 130 days (approximately one academic term) which cannot be changed.
If you will arrive in Canada before your iMED coverage start date, you should purchase iMED Early Arrival Coverage.
If you plan to stay in Canada after your iMED coverage dates, contact GuardMe or another private health insurance provider for options. Ensure you always have sufficient health insurance during your stay in Canada. You also need to ensure you have valid immigration status in Canada – contact International Student Advising for support.
VIRS students studying for less than 6 months have iMED coverage dates based on their research period. If you need to change your research period, learn about changing your iMED coverage dates.
For other non-degree seeking students such as unclassified, access studies and visiting students, please check the iMED page for details or contact GuardMe to ask about your options.
Getting your virtual iMED card
If you have been charged iMED health insurance fees, you will receive a welcome email from GuardMe to the email address you provided to UBC. You will receive your welcome email 2-4 weeks before your program will begin and the email will contain instructions for accessing your iMED card and account. Check that the iMED coverage period on your iMED card is correct.
During your coverage period, print your iMED card and keep it with you in case you need medical attention, along with your student ID and a copy of your study permit, if you have one. You can also access your card through the GuardMe mobile app.
Confirm the iMED coverage period on your iMED card is correct. iMED coverage should start from the month you arrive in BC plus two months to cover the BC MSP waiting period. One-term exchange students and VIRS students are covered for the entire duration of their program studies.
Returning students
Before you travel, check whether you have valid BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage. Learn more about MSP.
IF YOU’VE BEEN OUTSIDE OF CANADA FOR SIX MONTHS OR LESS
If you have been outside of Canada for less than six months and you did not cancel your MSP, ensure your MSP coverage has not expired. You should be able to be covered under MSP, however you must contact BC MSP to confirm. You may be asked to pay MSP fees for the time you were covered.
IF YOU’VE BEEN OUTSIDE OF CANADA FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS
If you have been outside of Canada for more than six months, contact BC MSP to confirm your eligibility for coverage. If you can still be covered under MSP, no further action is required until your MSP expires. You may be asked to pay MSP fees for the time you were covered.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE MSP
If you are not eligible to be covered under MSP, you will need to get private health insurance, to cover you during the MSP 3-month waiting period. You can contact GuardMe, the provider of iMED, to discuss your options, or you may find and purchase your own private insurance. As soon as you re-enter BC, apply for the BC MSP online.
Complete the optional advance declaration
If you are flying to Canada and will first arrive in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or other participating airports, you can use Advance Declaration to submit your customs and immigration declaration in advance (up to 72 hours before your scheduled arrival) to save time at the airport.
The information on this page may change
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
