Medical examinations before permanent residence approval are now compulsory for all Express Entry PR candidates in Canada
Starting August 21, 2025, Canada will require all Express Entry permanent residence applicants and their family members to complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) before submitting their application. This change is aimed at streamlining the processing of permanent residence applications by ensuring that medical requirements are met earlier, reducing delays caused by late-stage medical exam follow-ups.
The updated requirements include:
- Applicants must schedule the IME with an IRCC-approved panel physician after receiving an invitation to apply. Those who have taken an IME in the last five years and are eligible for reuse of their medical results may not need to undergo a new exam.
- Proof of the completed IME must be uploaded with the application. Applicants currently in Canada with a valid IME from the past five years may include their IME number when applying to possibly avoid a new exam.
- Medical inadmissibility can occur due to excessive demand on public health or social services (defined as costs exceeding CAD 27,162 per year or CAD 135,810 over five years) or public health risks such as infectious diseases.
- Applicants with chronic conditions can improve their chances by demonstrating their condition is stable and well managed.
- The upfront exam requirement applies only to Express Entry applications submitted on or after August 21, 2025; older or non-Express Entry applications follow previous rules.
- All fees related to the medical exam, typically CAD 140–280, plus any specialist tests or treatments, must be paid at the time of the exam.
This change applies only to Express Entry streams and not to other PR programs or applications submitted before August 21, 2025. It also applies to foreigners who are being sponsored as a spouse, partner, or child.
It's important to note that this update does not affect US green card holders or the US visa bulletin for September.
In summary:
| Aspect | Updated Requirement Starting August 21, 2025 | |------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | When to do IME | Before submitting Express Entry PR application | | Proof requirement | Upload IME proof with application | | Approved physicians | Must use IRCC-approved panel physicians | | In-Canada applicants | May reuse IME from last 5 years if eligible | | Medical inadmissibility basis | Excessive demand (>CAD 27,162/year), public health risks| | Fee responsibility | Applicant pays exam and related fees |
The temporary public policy for IMEs has been extended until October 5, 2029, exempting certain low-risk, in-Canada foreign nationals from submitting an IME when their previous IME has expired. If you have completed an IME within the last 5 years, include the IME number (or the unique medical identifier number) from your previous IME in your current application to possibly avoid a new exam.
- Canada's new immigration policy, effective from August 21, 2025, requires all Express Entry permanent residence applicants and their family members to complete a mandatory Immigration Medical Exam (IME) before submitting their application.
- With the recent policy change, applicants must schedule the IME with an IRCC-approved panel physician and provide proof of the completed exam with their application.
- In the context of health and wellness, demonstrating stable and well-managed chronic conditions can potentially improve an applicant's chances, despite medical inadmissibility based on excessive demand or public health risks in Canada's finance and science-based medical-conditions criteria.
