Canada raises permanent residence application fees across all streams
Permanent residence application costs in Canada rose on April 30, 2026, with updated fee levels applied to all major immigration pathways, including Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, and family reunification.
The revisions affect principal applicants as well as accompanying spouses, partners, and dependent children. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) increased from $575 to $600, marking one of several adjustments introduced on the same date.
The changes are now in effect for new applications and for certain payments made after submission, depending on when fees are officially paid.
- New permanent residence fees took effect on April 30, 2026
- RPRF increased from $575 to $600
- Most program fees rose by approximately 4–5%
- Family sponsorship fees saw increases of nearly 6%
- Adjustments apply across economic, family, and humanitarian streams
Overview of updated permanent residence fees
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a broad revision of permanent residence processing fees, affecting multiple immigration categories managed at both federal and provincial levels.
Among the key changes, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee increased by $25. This fee applies to most applicants approved for permanent residence and is typically paid before finalization, although it can be deferred until later stages of processing.
Economic immigration programs experienced moderate increases. For federal high-skilled programs, including Express Entry-managed streams and several Provincial Nominee Program pathways, the processing fee for a principal applicant increased from $950 to $990. The same adjustment applies to accompanying spouses or common-law partners.
Dependent child fees within these programs increased from $260 to $270. Comparable adjustments were applied across business immigration streams at both federal and Quebec levels.
Family sponsorship and protected persons categories
Family reunification categories recorded some of the highest proportional increases. Sponsorship processing fees rose from $85 to $90, while the fee for a sponsored principal applicant increased from $545 to $570.
Fees for sponsored dependent children also rose to $90, reflecting a smaller but consistent increase across most categories.
Applications involving protected persons and humanitarian or public policy grounds also saw increases. Principal applicants and accompanying spouses in these categories now pay $660, up from $635, while dependent children fees increased from $175 to $180.
Application timing and payment requirements
The timing of payment determines which fee level applies in certain cases, particularly for the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. This fee is tied to the date of payment rather than the application submission date.
As a result, individuals who submitted permanent residence applications before April 30, 2026, but deferred payment of the RPRF are required to pay the new $600 amount when completing the process.
For online applications submitted before the fee change, payments made at the time of submission remain valid, with no additional action required if the original fees were processed successfully.
Paper-based applications mailed prior to April 30 are generally assessed under the previous fee structure if they were complete and sent before the change came into force. In cases where additional payment is required, IRCC contacts applicants with instructions.
Provincial Nominee Program context
The updated fee structure applies to permanent residence applications linked to provincial nominations, including streams managed under the Provincial Nominee Program. These pathways allow provinces such as Manitoba to nominate candidates based on regional labour market needs.
Applicants nominated through Manitoba’s program may proceed to permanent residence processing after receiving a provincial endorsement. The federal fee adjustments apply at this stage of the process.
Further details on eligibility assessment frameworks are available through tools such as the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program points calculator, which reflects program-specific selection criteria separate from federal processing fees.
Background on fee adjustments
Canada periodically updates immigration processing fees to reflect administrative costs and inflation. Previous adjustments have followed similar percentage increases across multiple categories, maintaining consistency between applicant types.
The April 30, 2026 changes introduced increases of approximately 4% to 5% in most immigration streams, with some variation depending on category. Family sponsorship experienced the largest relative increase, approaching 6%, while fees for dependent children and certain humanitarian categories rose by smaller margins.
These adjustments apply to a wide range of immigration pathways, including economic programs such as Express Entry, regional programs such as the Provincial Nominee Program, and humanitarian streams covering protected persons and public policy cases.
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee remains a distinct component of the process, payable only upon approval and required before permanent resident status is formally granted.
Breakdown of key fee changes
Several notable changes introduced on April 30, 2026 include:
Processing fees for economic immigration principal applicants increased to $990, while spouses or partners face the same updated amount. Fees for dependent children rose to $270 in these streams.
Business immigration principal applicants now pay $1,895, reflecting an increase from $1,810. Associated fees for accompanying family members were adjusted similarly.
Family sponsorship fees increased modestly, with both sponsorship and applicant processing fees rising by $5 to $25 depending on category.
Protected persons and humanitarian applicants saw fee increases of $25 for adults and $5 for dependent children.
Processing continuity and administrative handling
IRCC maintains continuity in application processing despite fee adjustments, with existing applications generally remaining valid if submitted under the previous fee structure before the implementation date.
When discrepancies arise due to updated fees, the department provides instructions to complete outstanding payments. This ensures that applications can proceed without being returned solely due to fee differences.
The department’s online payment system continues to be used for additional fee submissions, enabling applicants to reconcile differences where required.
Ongoing updates to immigration procedures
The April 2026 fee revision represents a routine administrative update rather than a structural change to immigration selection criteria or program eligibility. Immigration pathways such as Express Entry and provincial nomination streams continue to operate under existing eligibility frameworks.
While costs have increased, program requirements, selection systems, and processing structures remain unchanged as of the implementation date.
Further updates to immigration fees or policies are typically announced by IRCC and reflected in official application systems at the time of change.
Additional reporting and coverage of Canadian immigration developments, including program updates and fee changes, continues to track these adjustments as they are implemented across federal and provincial systems.