Employer action code: Act
The Regulation for Occupational Fitness Examinations and Non-Communicable Disease Screening took effect September 8, 2025, requiring employers to provide physical and psychological examinations for all new hires and many current employees. The regulation aims to improve employees’ health, reduce occupational health risks and ensure that each employee is fit for their job.
Key details
The regulation requires employers to provide examinations to determine individuals’ occupational fitness:
- Before the start of employment for all new hires
- During employment in certain circumstances, including:
- After a work-related accident or when returning from “long” (undefined in the regulation) sick leave
- When the working environment changes or new work equipment is introduced
- Periodically for employees in high-risk professions, as defined in the regulation, with the frequency to be determined based on the nature of the position
- After the end of employment for employees who possibly came in contact with hazardous materials during their employment
In addition to general medical checks, the fitness examinations should include psychological checks, chronic disease assessments and possibly additional specialized testing based on the nature of the occupation.
Under the regulation, if an employee’s capacity to work in a current role has deteriorated, employers must support the individual’s continued employment by providing alternative work, supporting rehabilitation, or offering changes to working time and conditions.
Employer implications
Employers should review their policies and practices to ensure compliance with the new requirements. For foreign workers (who account for the great majority of employees in the private sector), the regulation expands the existing requirement to undergo pre-employment medical exams as part of the work visa process. Periodic exams have also long been mandatory for certain high-risk professions; according to government data, 32% of private-sector workers received periodic medical exams in 2024.
