Step 1: Check before you make travel plans
Step 2: Before you travel
Before you travel to Canada, make sure you get a medical exam (if required), have valid health insurance coverage for when you arrive, and consider completing the ArriveCan app (optional).
Immigration medical exam results are only valid for 12 months. If you completed an immigration medical exam for your study permit application and you will be entering Canada more than 12 months since you completed your medical exam, you may receive a notice from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to advise you to take a medical exam again. Even if you do not receive a notice, you will need to take another medical exam before travelling to Canada and bring both e-medicals 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.
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 and bring a copy of your 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 jobs which require a medical exam. If you do not have the conditions, take 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.
As a new international student, you have temporary health insurance coverage for your first 3 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.
After registering for your first course at UBC, and being charged iMED fees, you will automatically receive your iMED card by email. If you did not receive your iMED card by the start of the iMED coverage period, check your inbox and junk-mail folders, then email DCIS at imed@david-cummings.com. In your email, write “Missing iMED card” as the subject line, and in the message you must include your name, student number, and date of arrival in BC.
Your iMED coverage dates depend on when you start your program:
You should purchase iMED advance coverage if you will arrive earlier or apply to change your coverage dates if you will arrive after the calendar month in which your iMED insurance starts. Learn about changing coverage dates.
One-term exchange students and Visiting International Research Students (VIRS) have distinct coverage dates which cannot be changed. If you will arrive before your coverage begins we strongly recommend that you purchase iMED advance coverage.
If you are beginning studies in Winter Term 1 (September to December), your coverage will automatically start on August 1. If you are beginning studies in Winter Term 2 (January to April), your coverage will automatically start on December 1.
You should purchase iMED advanced coverage if you will arrive earlier or apply to change your coverage dates if you will arrive after the calendar month in which your iMED insurance starts. If you started your program in Winter Session 2021 (September 2021 to April 2022), Summer Session 2022 (May 2022 to August 2022) or Winter Session 2022 (September 2022 to April 2023), you must do this before July 31, 2023. You will then receive a new iMED card with your new coverage period.
One-term exchange students have distinct coverage dates that cannot be changed. If you are arriving before your coverage begins we strongly recommend that you purchase advanced coverage.
If you did not receive your iMED card by the start of the iMED coverage period, check your inbox and junk-mail folders, then email DCIS at imed@david-cummings.com. In your email, write “Missing iMED card” as the subject line, and in the message you must include your name, student number, and date of arrival in BC.
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 Visiting International Research Students (VIRS) are covered for the entire duration of their program studies.
If your travel plans change, request an adjustment of your iMED coverage period as soon as possible by contacting DCIS to inform them that you will come to Canada at a later date. Once you know your new arrival date, submit an Arrival Date Confirmation / Coverage Dates Change Form (pdf) by email. If you started your program in Winter Session 2020 (September 2020 to April 2021) to Summer Session 2021 (May 2021 to August 2021), you must do this before January 31, 2023. You will then receive a new iMED card with your new coverage period.
Before you travel, check whether you have valid BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) coverage.
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.
If you have been outside of Canada for more than six months in a calendar year, contact BC MSP to confirm your eligibility for coverage.
If you are not eligible to be covered under MSP, you will need to get private health insurance, such as the Global Campus Health Plan (GCHP), to cover you during the MSP 3-month waiting period. Once enrolled in the Global Campus Health Plan, you will automatically receive your GCHP card by email. Make sure the private health plan you choose has adequate coverage.
If you are a part-time student, UBC employee, visiting instructor, postdoctoral fellow, or other non-student affiliate and need temporary hospital and medical coverage, contact David Cummings Insurance Services (DCIS) for information about "non-student" medical insurance plan options.
As soon as you re-enter BC, apply for MSP online.
As of October 1, 2022, the ArriveCan app is optional for all travellers.
If you are flying to Canada and will first arrive in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, or other participating airports, you can submit your customs and immigration declaration in advance (up to 72 hours before your scheduled arrival) through ArriveCan to save time at the airport.
This information is accurate as of Tue, Jul 11, 2023, and is subject to change. Follow the latest updates on travel restrictions due to COVID-19 and the IRCC international students COVID-19 page.
