(CANADA) Canada has overhauled its medical exam rules for people applying as temporary residents in 2025, sharply narrowing the country list whose citizens must complete an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) for stays longer than six months and spelling out when a person’s job or recent travel history triggers an exam. The immigration department says the changes are meant to cut delays and costs for visitors, students, and workers from low-risk countries, while keeping stronger checks for roles and situations that touch public health.
At the centre of the update is a data-led rewrite of who needs an IME based on current World Health Organization trends, with a focus on diseases that can spread easily, especially tuberculosis. Officials have shortened the list of countries whose citizens automatically need a medical exam for temporary residence, removing many countries that previously required tests. For applicants from those newly exempt places, the practical effect is simple: fewer up-front appointments, fewer bills to pay, and less time spent waiting. According to a comprehensive guide on the 2025 update:
“The 2025 policy revision represents one of the most substantial changes to Canada’s temporary residence medical screening protocol in recent history. At its core, the update significantly shortens the list of countries whose residents automatically require an IME for stays exceeding six months.”
The shift does not scrap medical screening. Instead, it redirects attention to where risks are higher. Occupation still matters in a big way. Anyone applying to work in settings where public health must be protected—healthcare clinics and hospitals, childcare centres, and schools—continues to require an IME, regardless of the person’s citizenship or where they have lived. The rule is unchanged for parents and grandparents applying for the super visa, a long-stay visitor option that lets them spend extended time in Canada; they still must complete a medical exam. The same applies if a person has recently lived in or spent a long time in countries that Canadian authorities consider high risk. Even if a student or worker is a citizen of an exempt country, they must do an IME if they have lived in or traveled to one of those high-risk places for six months or more in the year before coming to Canada.
These requirements are designed to be clearer and more predictable. Canada’s immigration department says applicants should not assume that a blanket country rule is the final word; personal circumstances carry more weight than before. Officials urge people to check their own situation using the federal online tool before applying. The government says this is now the best way to confirm if an IME is needed, because the country list may be shorter but it still exists, and the decisive triggers now include work type and recent travel or residence history. The new policy
“reflects a modern, data-driven approach to public health screening, aligning Canadian immigration policy with the latest global health statistics.”
For a temporary resident applicant, the practical questions come down to three areas. First, is your country of citizenship still on Canada’s revised high-risk list? If yes, an IME is required for stays longer than six months. Second, will you work in a job where public health must be protected? Healthcare, childcare, and teaching roles all require an IME, no matter your passport. Third, have you lived in or traveled to a designated high-risk country for six months or more in the past year? If that is the case, an IME is required even if you are from a low-risk country. Canadian officials recommend that people check their personal facts against the online guidance, where the country list and rules are set out in detail. Applicants can consult the IRCC medical exam guidance for the latest instructions and the assessment tool.
The changes arrive as Canada continues to manage high volumes of applications across visitor, study, and work streams. Officials have argued that asking many low-risk applicants for an exam did not improve public health outcomes but did slow down files and raised costs, especially for students and workers who already faced tight timelines before school terms or job start dates. By narrowing the country list, the government expects fewer IME referrals at the front end, which should ease pressure on panel physicians and cut waiting times for those who still need an appointment. The policy aims to set a clearer split between low-risk applicants, who can move faster, and applicants with higher-risk profiles, who will still get full screening.
For international students, the update could remove a recurring hurdle. Many students from countries now off the list will no longer need to book an exam before submitting their study permits or after receiving instructions. This matters when classes are about to begin and housing arrangements depend on visa timelines. Temporary foreign workers from newly exempt countries also stand to benefit, especially in sectors where speed to placement is important and where the employer does not require a health-related role. The government says the streamlined approach should mean fewer steps for standard temporary residence cases and more attention on files where the IME is clearly warranted.
The rules are tighter for jobs in sensitive environments. Any applicant whose role involves close contact with patients, young children, or school communities must complete an IME. The idea is to protect settings where communicable diseases can spread quickly and affect people who may be more vulnerable. This category captures doctors and nurses, personal support workers, lab staff with patient contact, early childhood educators, daycare workers, teachers, and others in similar roles. The policy treats these occupations the same regardless of where the applicant comes from, reflecting the view that the workplace risk is the main factor.
Travel and residence history also carry more weight under the 2025 policy. Someone who is otherwise exempt based on citizenship could still need a medical exam if they spent at least six months in a high-risk country in the year before their planned entry. This aims to cover people whose recent exposure, rather than nationality, raises the risk profile. The rule is clear about timing: the look-back period is the 12 months before coming to Canada, and the trigger is six months or more of stay in one or more high-risk countries. Authorities say the online tool will help people assess these details accurately.
The IME itself remains a standardized process run by IRCC-approved panel physicians. It is not a general check-up. Panel doctors conduct a medical history questionnaire and a physical exam, and they may order chest x-rays or lab tests depending on a person’s age and other factors. Tests typically screen for conditions such as tuberculosis and syphilis. Results are sent directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada by the panel physician rather than by the applicant. The government emphasizes that the IME is tailored to public health and what it calls “excessive demand” risks, which refer to potential heavy draws on health and social services. It is a targeted screen, not a full health assessment.
Fees for the IME are set by panel physicians and vary by clinic and location. People should expect charges in the range of CAD 195 to CAD 390 per person. Costs can be higher if additional tests are needed due to age or findings during the exam, but the typical range gives applicants a baseline for planning. For families applying together, the total can add up quickly, which is one reason why the policy’s narrower country list could bring real savings for those no longer required to undergo an IME. Results are valid for 12 months, so timing the exam matters if an applicant’s travel plans or start dates are uncertain.
The government is also pressing applicants to use official tools before booking any appointment. Because the rules now hinge on the type of work, the country list, and travel or residence history, checking the details can prevent unnecessary exams and avoid missing required ones. The advice is simple: confirm your status online, then proceed. If an IME is required, people can find approved panel physicians through the federal site and book an appointment. For those in occupations that always require screening, building the exam into the application timeline remains important.
Under the 2025 update, the categories that always need an IME are unchanged but have been restated plainly. Healthcare, childcare, and teaching jobs require an exam. Applicants for a parent and grandparent super visa must do an exam. People from countries that remain on Canada’s high-risk list must complete an exam for stays longer than six months. And anyone who has lived in or traveled to a high-risk country for at least six months within the past year must do an exam even if their citizenship is from a low-risk country. This list of triggers helps people spot their situation quickly, but the government says the online assessment is the final check.
Public health concerns continue to shape the policy. Canadian officials say that aligning IME rules with current WHO data lets them focus on diseases that still spread globally, while reducing burdens for applicants from countries where the risk is low. By setting clear, occupation-based rules and factoring in recent travel, the department aims to catch higher-risk cases without sweeping in people who pose little risk. For students, workers, and visitors whose plans hinge on visa timing, the promise is that fewer unnecessary exams will mean a faster path to a decision and fewer detours to clinics.
The update also clarifies how the IME works in practice. Panel physicians send results straight to the immigration department, which means applicants do not handle the medical files. People should bring identification and any relevant medical records to their appointment, including prescriptions or details about ongoing conditions. While the exam is focused on public health and service demand, it may surface issues that require follow-up tests, which can extend the timeline. Applicants planning around school start dates, job offers, or family visits may want to book early once they confirm an exam is needed, keeping in mind the 12-month validity window for results.
For those from countries newly removed from the list, the change could ease decisions about studying or working in Canada. Many will no longer face the choice of delaying an application to fit in an exam or paying rush fees at clinics. The effect is similar for employers who hire temporary foreign workers in roles that do not involve public health settings, as fewer IME requirements can mean faster onboarding. The government says the streamlining will concentrate resources on higher-risk files, which should also help speed up cases for people who do require the exam.
The policy is also a reminder that the IME is a specific tool with a narrow purpose, not a general health service. Applicants should not expect a broad diagnosis of unrelated issues; the panel physician’s role is to screen for conditions that matter under immigration law. The department pays close attention to infectious diseases and to situations where a person’s healthcare needs could place a heavy burden on public services. By reworking the country list and tightening the links to occupation and recent travel, Canada is betting it can manage those risks more precisely.
Applicants considering a move should take three steps before they apply. First, read the current rules and check the official assessment tool to see whether you need an exam under the 2025 framework. Second, consider your intended job. If it is in healthcare, childcare, or teaching, plan for an IME as part of your timeline. Third, review your travel and residence history for the past year. Six months or more in a designated high-risk country means an exam is required, even if your country of citizenship is on the low-risk side of the ledger.
The government says the new approach is part of a broader push to cut friction in the system while keeping public health protections intact. With a shorter country list and clearer triggers tied to work and travel, the 2025 rules try to strike a balance: reduce steps for low-risk temporary resident applicants and keep firm screening where it matters most. As the comprehensive guide put it,
“reflects a modern, data-driven approach to public health screening, aligning Canadian immigration policy with the latest global health statistics.”
For many applicants, that could mean fewer appointments and lower costs. For those in sensitive jobs or with recent stays in higher-risk places, the IME remains a key part of the application—and an early step worth getting right.
This Article in a Nutshell
Canada’s 2025 IME policy narrows the automatic country list for temporary residents, using WHO data and emphasizing occupation and recent travel. Stays over six months by citizens of remaining high-risk countries still require an IME. Independent of nationality, applicants for healthcare, childcare or teaching roles must undergo screening. Spending six months or more in a high-risk country within the prior 12 months also triggers an IME. Officials expect fewer upfront exams, lower costs and faster processing for low-risk applicants while retaining targeted public-health safeguards.
