Fees in Canada are frequently less expensive than in similar nations such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
On April 30, Canada will raise the fees for all permanent residence applications.
Economic, permit holder, family, and humanitarian classes will all see fee rises.
For the first time since 2002, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) increased permanent residence costs to account for inflation in 2020. IRCC declared at the time that it will raise costs every two years to keep up with inflation. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
| Program | Applicants | Current fee | New fee April 30, 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | Principal applicant and accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $500 | $515 |
| Federal High Skilled, Provincial Nominee Program and Quebec Skilled Workers, Atlantic Immigration Class and most Economic Pilots (Rural, Agri-Food) | Principal applicant | $825 | $850 |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $825 | $850 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $225 | $230 | |
| Live-in Caregiver Program and Caregivers Pilots (Home Child Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot) | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
| Business (Federal and Quebec) | Principal applicant | $1,575 | $1,625 |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $825 | $850 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $225 | $230 | |
| Family Reunification (Spouses, Partners and Children; Parents and Grandparents; and other relatives) | Sponsorship fee | $75 | $75 |
| Sponsored principal applicant | $475 | $490 | |
| Sponsored dependent child | $75 | $75 | |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
| Protected Persons | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
| Humanitarian and Compassionate / Public Policy | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
| Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
| Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
| Permit Holders | Principal applicant | $325 | $335 |
Additionally, you may be required to pay the $500 right of permanent residency cost, which will increase to $515 on April 30. This can be paid at the same time as your application or after it has been approved. It is only given to persons who are granted permanent residency and is repaid if an immigration application is denied. It must, however, be paid before permanent resident status may be activated.
The charge for obtaining a permanent residency permit does not apply to:
dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor, sponsorship applications, sponsorship applications for an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew, or grandchild, or protected individuals, including humanitarian and compassionate applicants and convention refugees.
The charge for permanent resident cards, permanent resident travel documents and certification or replacement immigration documents will not increase.
Canada supports a cost-effective approach to financing government programs, where most of the costs are covered by those who receive the services and not taxpayers.
These amount increases are meant to ensure that Canada remains competitive and in line with fees charged by other immigrant-receiving countries. Canada’s fees are oftentimes less expensive than countries with similar immigration systems, such as Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Fees are expected to increase in two years based on the applicable Consumer Price Index increase rounded to the nearest $5. The next fee increase at the federal level is expected to be announced in 2024.