What Canadian immigration actually costs after the April 30, 2026 fee increase — and the settlement funds you must prove on top.
- 2026-04-30: All permanent-residence fees rise — right of PR fee CAD 575→600, Express Entry principal-applicant processing 950→990. official source
Announced by the official authority but not yet in force — always verify against the official source before relying on it.
Overview
All federal immigration and citizenship fees in Canada are set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and most permanent-residence fees were increased on 30 April 2026. A PR application has two parts: a processing fee and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF), now CAD 600. An Express Entry or Provincial Nominee principal applicant pays CAD 990 processing + CAD 600 RPRF = CAD 1,590, the same again for an accompanying spouse, and CAD 270 per dependent child. Spousal sponsorship totals CAD 1,260 (CAD 90 sponsorship + CAD 570 processing + CAD 600 RPRF). Temporary fees are unchanged: work permit CAD 155 (open work permit +CAD 100), study permit CAD 150, visitor visa CAD 100, biometrics CAD 85 (CAD 170 per family). Adult citizenship costs CAD 653 after the right-of-citizenship component rose to CAD 123 on 31 March 2026. Federal Skilled Worker and Skilled Trades candidates must additionally show settlement funds — CAD 15,263 for a single applicant under the table updated 7 July 2025. Verified against ircc.canada.ca and canada.ca as of June 2026.
Current IRCC Fee Schedule (after the 30 April 2026 increase)
Permanent-residence fees rose on 30 April 2026 (the previous increase was 30 April 2024). If you mailed a complete application before a fee change, IRCC will usually ask you to pay the difference rather than reject it.
| Application | Fee (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Express Entry / PNP / Atlantic — principal applicant | 1,590 (990 processing + 600 RPRF) | Was 950 + 575 before 30 Apr 2026 |
| — accompanying spouse/partner | 1,590 (990 + 600) | Same two-part structure |
| — each dependent child | 270 | No RPRF for dependent children |
| Business immigration (Start-up Visa, self-employed, Quebec business) — principal | 2,495 (1,895 + 600) | Spouse 1,590; child 270 |
| Spousal sponsorship (in Canada or abroad) | 1,260 total | 90 sponsorship + 570 processing + 600 RPRF; each child 180 |
| Parents & grandparents sponsorship | 1,260 per parent | Plus 660 spouse of parent (no RPRF), 180 per dependent child |
| Work permit (incl. extensions) | 155 | Open work permit holder fee +100 |
| Study permit (incl. extensions) | 150 | Restoration of student status 396.25 total |
| Visitor visa (single/multiple entry) / Super Visa | 100 | Family maximum 500 (5+ people applying together) |
| Citizenship — adult | 653 (530 processing + 123 right of citizenship) | Right-of-citizenship fee rose to 123 on 31 Mar 2026 |
| Citizenship — minor (under 18) | 100 | Processing fee only |
| Biometrics | 85 per person / 170 per family | Required with most visa, work and study applications |
| Permanent resident card / PR travel document | 50 | First card included after landing |
| Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) | 7 | Visa-exempt air travellers |
How the Two-Part PR Fee Works — Processing Fee + RPRF
- The RPRF (CAD 600) is payable before you become a permanent resident, not necessarily with the application — but IRCC recommends paying both together to avoid delays at the approval stage. It applies to principal applicants and accompanying spouses/partners only, never to dependent children.
- The RPRF is the only refundable fee after processing starts: it is returned if you withdraw or the application is refused. Processing fees are only refunded if IRCC has not started working on the file.
- Protected persons, H&C applicants and sponsored adopted children are exempt from the RPRF entirely, and an RPRF loan program exists for those who cannot pay it upfront.
- Fee-change mechanics: when fees rise (as on 30 April 2026), online applications must be paid at the new rate immediately; mailed applications sent before the change with the old fee are generally accepted, and IRCC then requests the difference through its online payment tool.
- If you deferred the RPRF and fees rise before approval, you pay the new RPRF amount — even though you paid your processing fee at the old rate.
Settlement Funds — the Cost That Isn't a Fee
Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades candidates must prove unencumbered, legally accessible funds. The table is updated every year based on 50% of the low-income cut-off; the current figures took effect 7 July 2025. Canadian Experience Class candidates, and candidates with a valid job offer plus authorization to work in Canada, are exempt.
| Family size | Funds required (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 15,263 |
| 2 | 19,001 |
| 3 | 23,360 |
| 4 | 28,362 |
| 5 | 32,168 |
| 6 | 36,280 |
| 7 | 40,392 |
| Each additional member | +4,112 |
Costs Beyond IRCC's Schedule
- Provincial nominee fees are separate and province-set: they range from no fee in some streams to roughly CAD 1,500–2,000 in the largest programs — check the nominating province's own schedule before budgeting.
- Educational Credential Assessment (ECA): required for foreign degrees under FSW; fees are set by the designated organizations (WES and others), typically a few hundred dollars including courier and report fees.
- Language testing: IELTS, CELPIP, PTE Core (English) or TEF/TCF Canada (French) are privately administered; budget roughly CAD 300–400 per sitting, and results expire after two years.
- Immigration medical exam: must be done by an IRCC-designated panel physician; fees are set by each clinic, not IRCC.
- Police certificates from every country where you've spent 6+ months since age 18 are at the issuing country's cost.
- Employer-side LMIA fee (CAD 1,000 per position) is paid by the employer to Employment and Social Development Canada for LMIA-based work permits — it cannot legally be recovered from the worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Express Entry cost in total for a couple with one child in 2026?
Government fees after 30 April 2026: CAD 1,590 for the principal applicant (990 processing + 600 RPRF), CAD 1,590 for the spouse, and CAD 270 for the child — CAD 3,450 to IRCC, plus CAD 170 family biometrics. On top of that, budget for two language tests, an ECA for each degree-holder claiming points, medicals with a panel physician, and police certificates. A Federal Skilled Worker family of three must also show CAD 23,360 in settlement funds (table updated 7 July 2025) — that money isn't paid to anyone, but it must sit accessible in your accounts at application and at visa issuance.
What is the Right of Permanent Residence Fee and when do I actually pay it?
The RPRF — CAD 600 since 30 April 2026 — is a separate fee payable before you can become a permanent resident. It applies to principal applicants and accompanying spouses or partners, never to dependent children, and protected persons and humanitarian cases are exempt. You can pay it with your application (recommended, to avoid a delay at approval) or wait until IRCC requests it. It is the only fee IRCC refunds after processing begins — you get it back if you withdraw or are refused. If you defer it and the fee rises before approval, you pay the new amount.
Did Canadian immigration fees increase recently?
Yes — twice in two years. All permanent-residence fees rose on 30 April 2024 (Express Entry principal from CAD 850 to 950, RPRF from 515 to 575), and again on 30 April 2026: the RPRF went from CAD 575 to 600, the economic-class processing fee from 950 to 990, and dependent children from 260 to 270. The right-of-citizenship component also rose from CAD 119.75 to 123 on 31 March 2026, taking adult citizenship to CAD 653. Temporary-residence fees (work permit 155, study permit 150, visitor visa 100) have stayed flat. IRCC publishes every change with payable-difference instructions on its fee-changes page.
What counts as proof of settlement funds — and what doesn't?
You need official letters from every bank or financial institution where you hold accounts, on letterhead, showing contact details, your name, outstanding debts, plus each account's number, opening date, current balance and six-month average balance. The money must be legally accessible and unencumbered: equity in real property does not count, and borrowed money is expressly disallowed. Joint accounts with an accompanying spouse count in full; an account solely in your spouse's name counts only if you prove access. The funds must still be available when the PR visa is issued, not just at application.
How much do work and study permits cost, and what's the 'open work permit holder' fee?
A work permit (new or extension) is CAD 155 per person. If you're applying for an open work permit — one not tied to a specific employer, such as a Post-Graduation Work Permit or a spousal open work permit — you pay an additional CAD 100 open work permit holder fee, so CAD 255 total. A study permit is CAD 150. Biometrics (CAD 85) usually apply on top. If your status has expired, restoration costs CAD 246.25 plus the new permit fee — CAD 401.25 for a worker, CAD 396.25 for a student. Employer-specific LMIA-based jobs also carry a CAD 1,000 employer-paid LMIA fee.
What does Canadian citizenship cost and what are the residence requirements?
An adult application costs CAD 653 — a CAD 530 processing fee plus the CAD 123 right-of-citizenship fee (increased 31 March 2026). Minors under 18 pay CAD 100. To qualify you must be a permanent resident, have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the five years before applying, have filed taxes where required, and — if aged 18–54 — demonstrate CLB 4 English or French and pass the citizenship knowledge test. Note that maintaining PR itself requires only 730 days' presence per rolling five-year window, so citizenship demands a higher presence than keeping your PR card.