Canada, Australia & NZ Visa Medical Exam in the Philippines 2026: Panel Clinics & Cost

Quick Answer: Only "panel physicians" approved by each country can do your visa medical — in the Philippines that's mainly St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLEC), Nationwide Health Systems, and the IOM Manila Health Centre. For applicants 15 and up, expect roughly ₱11,800–₱13,270 for Canada, ₱7,680–₱8,450 for Australia, and ₱7,740–₱14,550 for New Zealand, depending on clinic and visa type. Canada and Australia results are valid 12 months; New Zealand's are valid only 3 months. Tests can include chest X-ray, HIV, syphilis, and blood work for those 15 and older.

Table of Contents

• How much does the visa medical exam cost?
• Who are the approved panel clinics in the Philippines?
• What tests are included?
• How long are the results valid?
• Do you take the exam before or after you apply?
• How do you book and what do you bring?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

How much does the visa medical exam cost?

Fees depend on the destination country, the applicant's age, and which panel clinic you book. None of the three countries publish one fixed "official" price — each panel clinic sets its own schedule, so the numbers below are what the clinics themselves list, current as of July 2026.

Canada (SLEC and Nationwide Health Systems use the same schedule):

Fees are inclusive of TB testing and treatment where applicable. (SLEC Canada visa applicant page) IOM Manila Health Centre runs a separate, lower schedule — third-party aggregators list it at roughly ₱3,000 (0–10), ₱5,000 (11–14), and ₱11,800 (15+), but confirm directly with IOM before booking since ClinicFinderPH could not independently verify their current rate card. (Abroad Cube)

Australia (SLEC):

Healthcare-sector students or workers pay extra for IGRA, hepatitis B (HBsAg), and hepatitis C (Anti-HCV) testing on top of the standard panel. (SLEC Australia visa applicant page)

New Zealand (SLEC):

A chest X-ray alone (if that's all your immigration officer requested) runs ₱2,760. (SLEC New Zealand visa applicant page)

Read the fine print: Immigration New Zealand or your visa officer tells you whether you need the "full" or "limited" panel — don't assume, since the price gap for adults is nearly double.

This earlier research flagged a wide, conflicting ₱3,500–₱13,270 range across sources — that spread turns out to be real, but it maps to age brackets and clinic choice rather than one inconsistent number. The ₱13,270 figure is the Canada adult (15+) rate at SLEC and Nationwide; the lower figures belong to young children.

Who are the approved panel clinics in the Philippines?

You cannot use just any doctor. Each country only accepts results from physicians and clinics it has specifically approved — called "panel physicians." Using a non-panel doctor means redoing the entire exam at your own cost and delay.

SLEC and Nationwide Health Systems are confirmed IRCC panel physicians for the Philippines through directory listings tied to their clinic addresses. (IRCC Doctors directory) This is not necessarily the complete list — IRCC, Australia's Department of Home Affairs, and Immigration New Zealand each maintain their own official search tools, and panel status can change. Before booking, confirm your clinic is still current:

• Canada: IRCC's panel physician finder — select Philippines and your city.
• Australia: Log into your ImmiAccount after lodging your visa; the health examination section lists panel clinics near you, coordinated through the eMedical system that Bupa Medical Visa Services (Bupa MVS) operates globally. (Home Affairs — arrange your health examinations)
• New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand's doctor/X-ray finder.

Medical Exam for Abroad: Who Publishes What tracks where each country's official panel list lives.

What tests are included?

Requirements scale with age and, for Australia and New Zealand, with which visa category you're applying under.

For Canada, chest X-ray applies from age 11, and HIV/syphilis screening from age 15. (Canada.ca — medical exams for permanent residents) Younger children generally need only a physical exam, sometimes plus a TB skin or blood test. A positive result on any single test — HIV included — does not automatically mean a refused visa; the panel physician doesn't rule on admissibility. They forward results to the immigration authority, which makes the final health-related decision, sometimes after asking for more information about how a condition is managed.

How long are the results valid?

This is where the three countries genuinely differ, and it's worth planning around:

• Canada: 12 months from the exam date. (Canada.ca)
• Australia: 12 months from the exam date. (Home Affairs — health examinations)
• New Zealand: Only 3 months — your chest X-ray and medical exam results must be no more than three months old when Immigration New Zealand receives your application. (Immigration New Zealand)

That's a meaningful gap. If you're applying to more than one country, or your NZ application is likely to sit for a while before decision, timing the exam too early can force an expensive repeat. Book it close to when you'll actually submit or when your visa officer requests it — not the moment you start researching.

Do you take the exam before or after you apply?

Timing rules differ by country and, for New Zealand, by visa type:

• Canada: As of August 21, 2025, Express Entry permanent residence applicants must complete an "upfront" medical exam and upload proof with their application — it's no longer something IRCC requests after the fact. IRCC's own guidance is to wait until after you receive your Invitation to Apply before booking, since results can expire before you're able to submit. Other Canada visa categories (visitor, study, or work permits) may still be instructed to complete the medical after applying, per IRCC's separate guidance for temporary residents. (Canada.ca — medical exams for permanent residents)
• Australia: You lodge your visa application first. The Department of Home Affairs then sends a Health Examination List or referral letter containing your HAP ID/TRN number, which you bring to the panel clinic to book. (SLEC Australia page)
• New Zealand: Depends on the visa. Some residence visas require the exam before you apply. For others — including the Accredited Employer Work Visa, visitor, and student visas — you apply first, and Immigration New Zealand tells you afterward if an exam is needed, issuing an NZHR reference number for your clinic. (Immigration New Zealand)

If you're unsure which path applies to your specific visa subclass, check your application instructions or ImmiAccount/Express Entry profile rather than assuming — booking too early is the most common (and costly) mistake.

How do you book and what do you bring?

1. Get your reference number first, if your country requires one — HAP ID (Australia) or NZHR (some NZ visas). Canada's Express Entry applicants book directly since the exam is now upfront.
2. Book online through the clinic's registration portal (SLEC's is at slec.ph/registration/other/) and pay in advance through the accepted channel — online portal or, for SLEC's Canada applicants, Security Bank branches or the Security Bank mobile app.
3. Bring a valid passport, your reference letter or HAP ID/NZHR number if applicable, prior chest X-ray films if you have any taken within 3 months, and any medical records for pre-existing conditions.
4. Attend the exam — physical check, blood draw, and X-ray as required for your age and visa category. Female applicants should avoid scheduling during menstruation, per SLEC's guidance for lab-test accuracy.
5. Wait for release — results aren't first-come-first-served; they depend on how quickly labs and X-ray readings clear. The clinic submits results electronically (through IRCC's or Home Affairs'/INZ's eMedical-linked systems) directly to the immigration authority — you generally don't receive a copy yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a Canada visa medical exam in the Philippines?

For applicants 15 and older, ₱13,270 at SLEC or Nationwide Health Systems as of July 2026. Younger children pay less — ₱3,220 (0–10 years) or ₱6,100 (11–14 years). IOM Manila Health Centre runs a separate, generally lower schedule; confirm directly with them.

Saan pwede kumuha ng Canada, Australia, o New Zealand visa medical sa Pilipinas?

Sa mga approved panel clinic lang — St. Luke's Medical Center Extension Clinic (SLEC) sa Manila, Nationwide Health Systems sa Manila/Makati, Cebu, Davao, at Baguio (para sa Canada), at IOM Manila Health Centre. Hindi tatanggapin ng embahada ang resulta mula sa ibang doktor na wala sa opisyal na listahan.

Do I need the medical exam before or after I apply?

It depends on the country and, for New Zealand, the visa type. Canada's Express Entry now requires it upfront (as of August 21, 2025), but book after your Invitation to Apply. Australia requires you to apply first and get a HAP ID before booking. New Zealand varies — some residence visas need it before applying, others (like the AEWV) only if INZ requests it after you apply.

How long is an Australia visa medical exam valid?

12 months from the date of the exam. If your visa processing takes longer, you may need to redo it — the Department of Home Affairs recommends timing the exam around your expected processing window rather than doing it too early.

Bakit mas maikli ang validity ng New Zealand medical exam kumpara sa Canada at Australia?

Immigration New Zealand requires results na hindi hihigit sa 3 buwan ang tanda pagdating ng application, kumpara sa 12 buwan para sa Canada at Australia. Ito ang pinaka-strict sa tatlo, kaya mag-book lang malapit sa petsa ng iyong aktwal na pag-apply.

Can I reuse one country's medical results for another country's visa application?

No. Each country's immigration authority only accepts exams done under its own panel-physician system and submitted through its own electronic reporting (IRCC, Home Affairs' eMedical, or Immigration New Zealand's system). A Canada exam does not carry over to an Australia or New Zealand application, even from the same clinic.

What happens if a test comes back positive — will my visa be refused?

Not automatically. The panel physician does not decide admissibility; they submit findings to the immigration authority, which may ask for more information about how a condition is managed before making a final decision. Refusal on health grounds generally applies to conditions posing a public health/safety risk or an expected high cost to the country's health system — the exact threshold is set by each country's own policy, not by the clinic.

Magkano ang chest X-ray lang, kung yun lang ang hiningi sa akin?

Sa SLEC, ₱2,760 para sa chest X-ray alone kung ito lang ang required sa iyo (halimbawa, para sa New Zealand "limited" pathway). Kumpirmahin muna sa iyong immigration officer kung kailangan mo ba ng full exam o X-ray lang bago mag-book.

Conclusion

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand each run separate panel-physician systems in the Philippines, and mixing them up — wrong clinic, wrong timing, expired results — means paying again. The short version: book through SLEC, Nationwide Health Systems, or IOM Manila depending on your destination, confirm whether your exam is due before or after you submit your application, and watch New Zealand's tight 3-month validity window especially closely. If you're also applying to the US or Japan, see our guides to the US visa medical exam in the Philippines and the Japan JPETS pre-entry TB screening for those countries' separate requirements. For other travel-health paperwork, check our guide to the yellow fever vaccine and ICV "yellow card" and the eTravel health declaration. You can also search ClinicFinderPH to find accredited clinics near you.