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[2022] What if my medicals expire right around the time of approval?

nedvert

Star Member
Jan 23, 2013
143
21
I know there have been a lot of discussions on this one but would like something modern to go by due to pandemic, etc.

What if we get approved 1-2 months before the medicals expire? I need some time to get ready to go would there be a way to redo the medicals to align with the COPR validity of one year or would I be forced to land before that?

Just wondering if there are options so I can plan for it as it looks like with the Ukraine scenario or what not we might get approved right before medicals expire.

Thanks ahead of time.
 

nedvert

Star Member
Jan 23, 2013
143
21
Thanks for that. I assume that when we land in Canada, the border guys will only look for the COPR and passport, etc. They won't be digging into medical validity ?

Also what would happen in the scenario that for the 18 hour flight the medical request goes through while "in flight"?

I suppose no one knows that answer since it's highly unlikely :)

Thanks you answered my questions and cooled my anxiety!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,364
7,832
Thanks for that. I assume that when we land in Canada, the border guys will only look for the COPR and passport, etc. They won't be digging into medical validity ?

Also what would happen in the scenario that for the 18 hour flight the medical request goes through while "in flight"?

I suppose no one knows that answer since it's highly unlikely :)

Thanks you answered my questions and cooled my anxiety!
I think you have this quite confused. They will issue the COPR, with whatever validity. That's it. You don't show any additional medical results or take them with you, and CBSA at border does not evaluate or check the medicals in the file - IRCC (w/ IRCC medical officers) make that decision when they issue the COPR.

So IRCC makes the decision either before they issue the PPR (if they think extra medicals needed) or when they issue the COPR. IRCC w/ their own medical officers have the authority to recommend/extend the validity for purposes of issuing the COPR.

So I don't know what stage you are at, but basically it does not make sense to worry about this in advance.

In SOME cases esp during covid IRCC was flexible about eg re-issuing if copr holders could not travel before the expiry of COPR. For now, for most cases, just wait and see. It may be possible to ask them to extend or re-issue but it really doesn't make sense to get knickers in a twist far in advance - these decisions will likely depend on 'individual circumstances.'
 
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nedvert

Star Member
Jan 23, 2013
143
21
While there is a difference between "confusion" and simply not knowing, I appreciate your detailed response :)

Definitely "unconfused" now!

Thanks to all who posted!
 
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armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,364
7,832
How long was your visa valid for? My medical expires in 1 month and I got ppr and I'm afraid they'll give me a short visa
You might read your PPR again to see if they say until when the visa will be valid.

I cannot say that all offices do this, but our PPR had a very clear sentence: "Your visas will be valid till [date.]"
 

nedvert

Star Member
Jan 23, 2013
143
21
My medicals expire in October so I hope that I either get approved before that so I have 2-3 months to prep or they ask for new ones. Would be kind of crazy to get the approval and get a COPR with like a 1-2 month validity as we would have take care of some things before leaving.
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,364
7,832
My medicals expire in October so I hope that I either get approved before that so I have 2-3 months to prep or they ask for new ones. Would be kind of crazy to get the approval and get a COPR with like a 1-2 month validity as we would have take care of some things before leaving.
I do not know much of your situation but recall you got pre-arrival services letter not long ago.

So while predicting final approval dates is a fool's errand, we can say it seems to have moved along at a normal pace. Your chances of being approved within the timeframe of the medical validity is good - and if approved, they at minimum will grant you visa with validity until at least october.

Start planning now. If you think there is a time to move that would be good for you, like summer, it would not be aggressive to start planning for that. (I understand, you dont' want to commit funds before certainty - but there is definitely stuff you can start to plan for). But definitely I would say you should start planning for a move before the anniversary of your medical.

If your spouse has a trv, you could just set a date now. (You might even apply for a trv at this stage, somewhat decent chances of approval)

Note: I think you are a citizen abroad sponsoring? If so, you should also definitely start collecting additional evidence of your plan to move. There is a possiblity they will ask you for this, and if you have it ready, it could get evaluated and approval quickly.
 

ilovecanada11

Star Member
Sep 17, 2011
59
12
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
You might read your PPR again to see if they say until when the visa will be valid.

I cannot say that all offices do this, but our PPR had a very clear sentence: "Your visas will be valid till [date.]"
Yeah I checked it many times, they didn't mention that COPR validity.

The stage thing is by the time they return the passport, I'll only have less than 10 days to land. And they say in the letter not to book any plane tickets until I get the passports.... , just bizarre!
 

armoured

VIP Member
Feb 1, 2015
15,364
7,832
Yeah I checked it many times, they didn't mention that COPR validity.

The stage thing is by the time they return the passport, I'll only have less than 10 days to land. And they say in the letter not to book any plane tickets until I get the passports.... , just bizarre!
All I can say is wait and see - it's quite possible they extended the validity of meds without asking you, eg by 3 months or so, possibly by more.

I know there is some process for approval/clearance by the IRCC medical officers - I've seen gcms notes - with some process for longer approval with higher-ranking officer signing off. So I believe they relatively routinely extend the medical clearance (and therefore the final validity date of COPR) for three months (for example).

And while I can't guarantee anything, I think they mostly know that ten days is not enough for most new PRs, especially in covid times, where travelling back and forth (eg soft landing) is neither easy nor advisable.

Do let others know what happens with yours.
 

ilovecanada11

Star Member
Sep 17, 2011
59
12
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
All I can say is wait and see - it's quite possible they extended the validity of meds without asking you, eg by 3 months or so, possibly by more.

I know there is some process for approval/clearance by the IRCC medical officers - I've seen gcms notes - with some process for longer approval with higher-ranking officer signing off. So I believe they relatively routinely extend the medical clearance (and therefore the final validity date of COPR) for three months (for example).

And while I can't guarantee anything, I think they mostly know that ten days is not enough for most new PRs, especially in covid times, where travelling back and forth (eg soft landing) is neither easy nor advisable.

Do let others know what happens with yours.
Yeah will do , Thanks

I checked the tracker and there are some cases that are similar, but they don't mention how their COPR/visa validity ended-up to be
 

nedvert

Star Member
Jan 23, 2013
143
21
I do not know much of your situation but recall you got pre-arrival services letter not long ago.

So while predicting final approval dates is a fool's errand, we can say it seems to have moved along at a normal pace. Your chances of being approved within the timeframe of the medical validity is good - and if approved, they at minimum will grant you visa with validity until at least october.

Start planning now. If you think there is a time to move that would be good for you, like summer, it would not be aggressive to start planning for that. (I understand, you dont' want to commit funds before certainty - but there is definitely stuff you can start to plan for). But definitely I would say you should start planning for a move before the anniversary of your medical.

If your spouse has a trv, you could just set a date now. (You might even apply for a trv at this stage, somewhat decent chances of approval)

Note: I think you are a citizen abroad sponsoring? If so, you should also definitely start collecting additional evidence of your plan to move. There is a possiblity they will ask you for this, and if you have it ready, it could get evaluated and approval quickly.
Thanks for your reply. I think I will be OK for the proof of move, as I am in constant contact with my "future" residence in Canada at least for when we land. I have quite a bit of of things to add to a very detailed series of inclusions when we first applied. (A lot of updates and additions.)

I believe that I have already been scrutinized and was sent a PDF a while ago to indicate I was approved a sponsor which I think includes the intent to move factor? (I could be wrong.)

I can wait, was just hoping for some lead time for our work accountabilities which are included in our plans for the pending move; would just be nice to have a bit of time to make an exact plan as you said.

Thanks again armoured...