Canadian Medical Travel Coordination
Quick Facts
Last updated: October 2026
Visa for Canadians
No tourist visa required for stays up to 180 days. All travellers submit a free entry declaration: the online e-Arrival Card up to 3 days before arrival, or a paper form on arrival. For K-ETA and other current entry rules, see: Government of Canada travel and entry requirements
Official language and hospital languages
Korean is the official language. Leading hospitals that treat foreign patients have international patient centres with English-speaking coordinators. Outside the consultation room, from registration to the pharmacy, everything runs in Korean, which is why Maple Med Global's team in Seoul accompanies patients at every hospital visit.
Currency
South Korean won (KRW). Major-bank ATMs accept international cards, though per withdrawal limits can be low. Hospitals quote in KRW and take payment at the time of service. Provincial health plans do not pay hospitals in South Korea; the international departments of some large hospitals work with international private insurers.
Flights from Canada to South Korea
Most international patients fly into Seoul's Incheon International Airport (ICN). Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary have nonstop flights to Seoul all year. Nonstop flights from Montreal run from June to October.
from Toronto (YYZ)
to Seoul (ICN)
Direct: Yes, all year (Air Canada, Korean Air)
Flight time: 15h 10m to 15h 25m
Round-trip: from CAD 1,174 (economy, winter 2026/27)
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from Vancouver (YVR)
to Seoul (ICN)
Direct: Yes, all year (Air Canada, Korean Air, T'way Air)
Flight time: 11h 35m to 12h 10m
Round-trip: from CAD 1,547 (economy, winter 2026/27)
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from Calgary (YYC)
to Seoul (ICN)
Direct: Yes, all year (WestJet; 3 flights a week in winter, 6 in summer)
Flight time: 11h 55m
Round-trip: from CAD 1,435 (economy, winter 2026/27, may include a connection)
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from Montreal (YUL)
to Seoul (ICN)
Direct: June to October (Air Canada, 3 to 4 flights a week); connecting flights the rest of the year
Flight time: 14h 30m (nonstop)
Round-trip: from CAD 1,248 (economy, winter 2026/27, with a connection)
Fares shown are the lowest round-trip economy fares published by Air Canada and Korean Air in October 2026 for travel between November 2026 and March 2027; some include a connection. Fares change with season and booking time.
Where to Stay
Most international patients stay in Gangnam or Seocho, the districts in southern Seoul where the highest concentration of clinics and international hospital centres is located. These areas are well serviced, safe, and close to treatment, which matters during recovery. Central districts such as Jung-gu and Jongno are also popular and well connected by subway.
For recovery comfort, the most settled months are early May to early June and mid-September to October, when the weather is mild and dry. July and August bring heavy monsoon rain and high humidity, with typhoon activity into September, so these months are best avoided. Spring can also carry yellow-dust air pollution, worth noting for anyone recovering from facial, eye, or breathing-related procedures.
3-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 90 to 125
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 630 to 875
4-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 130 to 215
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 910 to 1,505
5-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 365 to 550
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 2,555 to 3,850
Safety and Travel
The Government of Canada advises travellers to take normal security precautions in South Korea, its lowest advisory level, with no regional exceptions. In practice this places South Korea among the safest destinations for a medical traveller. Crime against foreigners is low, and the main thing to stay aware of is petty theft in crowded nightlife and market areas, as you would in any large city. The clinic districts of Gangnam and Seocho are affluent and well policed. Public transport is extensive and reliable, and taxis are easy to arrange.
You can confirm the current advisory directly here: Government of Canada travel advisory for South Korea
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Maple Med Global patients are not on their own in Seoul: the company's local team meets them at the airport, stays with them at hospital visits and is their contact whenever they need something in the city. Read more about Maple Med Global's team in Seoul.
Featured Treatments in South Korea
South Korea has become one of the world's leading medical travel destinations, with international patient numbers more than doubling to over 1.17 million in 2024. Its strength spans both high-volume aesthetic care and complex hospital medicine.
Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
In 2024, 56.6% of international patients came to South Korea for dermatology and 11.4% for plastic surgery. Seoul alone has more than 600 plastic surgery clinics, over half of them in Gangnam, and Gangnam District on its own received more than 185,000 international patients in 2023. That concentration gives Korean surgeons a very high caseload, and they are internationally known for facial contouring, rhinoplasty and eyelid surgery. Prices at Seoul's major plastic surgery hospitals are close to or above private prices in Canada: patients who choose South Korea for plastic surgery are choosing the surgeon, not the price.
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Sources: Ministry of Health and Welfare data via The Korea Herald, April 2025; Gangnam-gu Office via The Korea Herald, June 2024; Korean Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery via South China Morning Post, March 2025.
Learn more about plastic surgery with Maple Med Global
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Dermatology and Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation
Dermatology is the field international patients visit South Korea for most. Clinics in Seoul plan Thermage, Ultherapy, laser and injectable treatments to fit into a visit of a few days. Most of these treatments are done in a single session, and their effect lasts from a few months to about a year, depending on the treatment.
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Oncology and Complex Care​
Three Seoul hospitals, Samsung Medical Center, Asan Medical Center, and Seoul National University Hospital, ranked in the global top ten for cancer care in Newsweek's World's Best Specialized Hospitals 2026. Korean university hospitals are also early, high-volume adopters of robotic surgery for cancer and complex cases. For Canadians, the draw here is recognized expertise and technology rather than cost alone. These hospitals review each file, often after an online consultation, and do not accept every case: they may decline a case when they judge that treatment abroad would not change the outcome.
Learn more about oncological care with Maple Med Global
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Comprehensive Health Screening
In 2024, American patients ranked first among international patients in South Korea for health screening, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and obstetrics and gynecology. Korean hospitals are known for screening programs that combine blood tests, imaging and endoscopy in one program, and some programs also include CT and MRI. The length and content of a program depend on the hospital. Programs that include a colonoscopy need bowel preparation, so the screening day is planned around it.
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Source: Korea Health Industry Development Institute data via Korea JoongAng Daily, October 2025.
Learn more about check-up with Maple Med Global
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​Orthopedic Solutions​
South Korea is an established destination for joint replacement and spine surgery, with dedicated orthopedic hospital systems and growing use of robotic-assisted knee replacement. For Canadians, this is one of the clearest areas where care abroad can mean faster access, since orthopedic surgery carries some of the longest public wait times at home.
Learn more about orthopedic care with Maple Med Global​​​​​​​​​​
Costs in South Korea
Starting prices at hospitals and clinics in Seoul, October 2026.
Health check-up with CT and MRI
South Korea: from 2,500,000 KRW
In CAD: ≈ 2,700
Thermage, Botox and skin treatment package
South Korea: from 3,000,000 KRW
In CAD: ≈ 3,200
Mini facelift
South Korea: from 5,000,000 KRW
In CAD: ≈ 5,300
SMAS facelift
South Korea: from 8,000,000 KRW
In CAD: ≈ 8,500
Face and neck lift
South Korea: from 12,000,000 KRW
In CAD: ≈ 12,700
Hospitals quote in South Korean won (KRW). CAD amounts use the Bank of Canada rate of 23 October 2026. Prices cover the listed treatment only; flights, accommodation and recovery are not included. The final price is quoted case by case.
Leading Hospitals in South Korea
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Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, JCI accredited
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Asan Medical Center, Seoul, JCI accredited
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Severance Hospital (Yonsei University Health System), Seoul, JCI accredited
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​Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, top 10 worldwide for oncology (Newsweek 2026)
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This list is informational. Hospital selection for each patient depends on diagnosis, complexity, and treatment plan.
For general questions about Canadian health insurance coverage abroad, complication insurance, follow-up care after returning to Canada, and trip planning, see our General FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Plan Your Treatment in South Korea with Maple Med Global
Choosing care abroad is a serious decision, and you do not have to organize it alone. As a Toronto-based coordination company, Maple Med Global helps you compare options, connect with accredited hospitals and licensed physicians, and plan every step with clear information and no obligation.
Or call/text us at +1 (647) 492-2777
Explore Other Destinations
Comparing your options? Explore more of our medical travel destinations to find the right fit for your treatment.