Enhanced health screenings needed for long-term residency petitioners via Express Entry program
Canada to Implement Upfront Medical Exams for Express Entry Permanent Residence Applicants
Starting from August 21, 2025, foreign nationals applying for permanent residence through Canada's Express Entry system will be required to undergo upfront medical exams as part of the application process. This new requirement is being implemented by the Canadian immigration authority managing the Express Entry program.
To schedule an Immigration Medical Exam (IME), applicants can view IRCC's list of panel physicians, select the relevant country or territory, and contact a physician directly to book an appointment. The exams must be scheduled with providers approved by IRCC.
An IME may include a previous medical history examination, a full-body physical examination, X-rays, blood and urine tests, mental health assessments, immunization record checks, and more. Foreign nationals must pay for all related costs, including the fee for the attending doctor or radiologist, special tests, investigations, or treatments, and any specialist visits.
At the time of the medical exam, foreign nationals must bring a list of current medications, any medical reports or results for previous/existing conditions, proof of previous vaccinations, identification, and four recent photographs.
Foreign nationals might be found medically inadmissible if their condition(s) are deemed likely to pose an excessive demand on public health services, exceeding three times the national average per capita cost of healthcare, or $27,162 per year. They may also be found inadmissible if their conditions might post a danger to public health, such as carrying certain infectious diseases.
However, showing that any chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, are being treated and are stable and controlled can help to reduce the risk of being found medically inadmissible. Applicants who had previously been determined to be low risk or no risk to public health may be exempt from needing to complete another medical exam.
Applicants in Canada who have undergone an IME within the last five years for a work permit or study permit can provide their IME number or unique medical identifier when submitting their PR application. Family members must be medically admissible regardless of whether they are accompanying the principal applicant to Canada.
Non-Express Entry permanent residence applications are not affected by this change. It's also worth noting that there is a feature available to see how competitive an Express Entry profile is.
The cost of an IME typically ranges from $140 to $280 per person. If IRCC determines the previous results cannot be used, they will notify the applicant with further steps to undergo a new medical exam.
This new requirement will not affect applications submitted prior to August 21, 2025. For more information, applicants are advised to visit the IRCC website or contact a panel physician directly.
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