Maple News reports that as of August 21, 2025, individuals applying for permanent residence through Canada’s Express Entry system will be required to complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) before submitting their application. This procedural shift was announced by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and marks a significant departure from the current process, where applicants undergo the medical exam only after receiving instructions from IRCC post-application.
This new requirement will apply strictly to Express Entry-managed programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, and Canadian Experience Class. Applications submitted before August 21, 2025, will follow the existing process and are not subject to the new rule. Additionally, permanent residence applications submitted outside the Express Entry stream remain unaffected.
The IME is a key part of Canada’s immigration process and is used to determine the medical admissibility of applicants. Principal applicants—and all accompanying and non-accompanying family members—must undergo and pass the medical exam to ensure they do not pose a health risk to the Canadian public or would not cause excessive demand on the country’s healthcare system.
Applicants may be deemed medically inadmissible if their health conditions are expected to cost more than three times the average per capita healthcare cost in Canada. This is to ensure the sustainability of publicly funded healthcare services.
This change is expected to streamline the final processing stage of Express Entry applications, potentially reducing overall processing times. By requiring upfront medical exams, IRCC may be aiming to identify inadmissible applicants earlier in the process, allowing for more efficient resource allocation and decision-making.
As Canada continues to evolve its immigration strategies to meet growing labor market demands, changes like this may signal further shifts toward modernization and increased efficiency in handling high volumes of applications.
Maple News will continue to monitor updates from IRCC and provide further insights as more information becomes available.