Canada: Upfront Medical Exam Requirement for Express Entry Applicants to be Reinstated

Effective August 21, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will reinstate the requirement for upfront medical examinations for foreign nationals applying for permanent residence through Express Entry. This reverses the October 1, 2023 policy that has since allowed applicants to submit their applications first and complete medical exams only after receiving IRCC instructions. The new requirement applies only to applications submitted on or after August 21, 2025; earlier submissions will follow the current process. Applicants in Canada who have completed an immigration medical exam (IME) in the past five years should include their IME number when applying; if the results cannot be used, IRCC will issue new instructions. Those without a prior IME must book one with a panel physician after receiving an invitation to apply. See IRCC’s website for full details.  

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.