Upfront Medical Now Mandatory for Express Entry PR Application| LMIA Full Application Process Explained| IRCC Raises Target for Study-to-PR Pathway| Student Inflow Plummets: New Data Confirms Policy Impact
Critical Deadline: Upfront Medical Now Mandatory for Express Entry PR Application
A major update from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) impacts all Express Entry candidates preparing to submit their permanent residence application.
Effective August 21, 2025, IRCC fully reinstated the requirement for all Express Entry applicants to provide an upfront Immigration Medical Examination (IME) when they submit their application. This marks the end of the facilitation period. The most critical deadline is October 21, 2025. Any application for permanent residence received on or after this date that does not include the mandatory upfront IME may be rejected by IRCC during the completeness check.
This policy update reinforces the need for meticulous planning after receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA). To avoid having your application returned and losing your ITA, ensure you schedule and complete your IME with a panel physician well in advance of your 60-day submission deadline.
LMIA Full Application Process Explained
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How to correctly advertise on Job Bank.
Determining if you need a High-Wage or Low-Wage stream.
What documents are absolutely essential for business legitimacy.
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Big Win for Students: IRCC Raises Target for Study-to-PR Pathway
Great news for international students! The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced an increase in the intake cap for the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) — a key study-to-permanent-residence pathway from 2,300 to 2,970 applications.
Applications under this program will be accepted between August 26, 2025, and August 25, 2026. This move aligns with IRCC’s broader goal to boost the number of French-speaking newcomers settling outside Quebec, with a target for francophone immigrants to represent 9.5% of all landings by 2026.To qualify, applicants must be from an eligible francophone-speaking country, hold a study permit for a designated institution and program offered primarily in French within a francophone community in Canada, and demonstrate French proficiency at NCLC Level 5 or higher.
This expansion opens more doors for French-speaking students aspiring to study in Canada and smoothly transition toward permanent residency.
Student Inflow Plummets: New Data Confirms Policy Impact
New data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirms a steep, year-over-year decline in international student arrivals, validating the impact of recent policy changes.
Key figures for 2025 show a sharp slowdown:
Arrivals Drop: Between January and August 2025, new international student arrivals fell by nearly 60% (132,510 fewer students) compared to the same period in 2024.
August Plunge: Even in August, a traditional peak intake month, new arrivals were down 43% compared to August 2024.
Total Population Down: As of August 31, 2025, the total international student population in Canada had dropped by over 217,000 compared to the previous year.
This "structural correction" is directly linked to the national study permit cap (reduced by 10% for 2025), mandatory acceptance letter verification, increased financial requirements, and stricter Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) rules. The data clearly reflects the government’s push to bring temporary resident levels to "sustainable" levels.
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