Canada Immigration Government Processing Fees

Every Canadian immigration application carries a government processing fee, and the totals add up once you include the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, biometrics, and fees for each family member.

This guide sets out the current 2026 government fees by program, explains which costs the fees do not cover, and flags the recent increases.

Fees change, and several rose in 2026, so treat the tables as a planning guide and confirm the exact amount on the official fee list before you pay.

Key Facts About Immigration Fees

• They change. IRCC adjusts fees periodically, and permanent residence fees rose on April 30, 2026.
• Economic PR costs about 1,590 per adult as of mid-2026, plus biometrics.
• The RPRF is refundable if your application is refused or withdrawn. The processing fee is not.
• Biometrics are 85 per person, capped at 170 per family.
• Government fees exclude medical exams, language tests, credential assessments, and representative fees.
• All fees are in Canadian dollars and paid online.

What Are Government Processing Fees?

Government processing fees are the amounts you pay directly to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to have your application reviewed. They are separate from the many third-party costs that come with immigrating, such as medical exams and language tests. Understanding that split matters, because the government fee is often a small part of the true cost of an application. The figures below are current as of mid-2026 and are shown in Canadian dollars.

Permanent Residence Fees

These apply to economic programs such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program. The principal applicant and an accompanying spouse each pay a processing fee plus the Right of Permanent Residence Fee.

You can choose to pay the RPRF upfront or defer it until just before your permanent residence is approved. Either way, biometrics are additional.

Family Sponsorship Fees

Sponsoring a spouse or partner combines a sponsorship fee, a processing fee, and the RPRF. Sponsoring a dependent child costs less because children are exempt from the RPRF.

Our page on spousal sponsorship explains the full process behind these fees.

Temporary Residence Fees

These cover visitor visas, study permits, work permits, and related services. Biometrics are usually required on top of the application fee.

For details on the underlying applications, see our pages on the study permit and the Post-Graduation Work Permit.

Citizenship and Card Fees

Our page on Canadian citizenship covers the grant process. The right of citizenship fee, paid by adults alongside the processing fee, increased on March 31, 2026, so confirm the current total.

The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF)

The RPRF is a distinct charge, currently 600 dollars, that every principal applicant and accompanying spouse must pay before becoming a permanent resident. Two features are worth knowing. First, it is refundable if your application is refused or you withdraw it, unlike the processing fee. Second, you can pay it upfront to avoid delays later, or defer it until IRCC requests it near the end. If you defer and the fee rises in the meantime, you pay the rate in effect on the day you actually pay, which is exactly what happened to applicants who deferred across the April 30, 2026 increase. Dependent children are exempt from the RPRF.

Biometrics Fee

Most applicants must give biometrics, meaning fingerprints and a photo. The fee is 85 dollars per person, with a family cap of 170 dollars when two or more people apply together at the same time. A common and avoidable mistake is paying per person rather than using the family cap, which leads to overpaying.

Costs the Government Fees Do Not Include

The government fee is rarely the whole cost. Budget separately for:

• Medical exam by a panel physician.
• Language tests such as IELTS, CELPIP, or a French test.
• Educational credential assessment for foreign education.
• Police certificates from each country where you have lived.
• Translations and document fees.
• Representative fees, if you hire a consultant or lawyer.

Fee Exemptions

Some applicants are exempt from certain fees. Dependent children are exempt from the RPRF. Protected persons and Convention refugees are often exempt from many processing fees, and some humanitarian and compassionate applicants may be exempt as well. If you think an exemption applies to you, confirm it before you pay, since paying the wrong amount can delay your file.

Recent Fee Changes in 2026

Two 2026 changes matter most for budgeting. Permanent residence fees increased across the board on April 30, 2026, raising the economic principal applicant processing fee to 990 dollars and the RPRF to 600 dollars, for a total of 1,590 dollars. Separately, the right of citizenship fee increased on March 31, 2026. Because IRCC adjusts fees periodically, always verify the amount for your specific application on the day you pay.

How to Pay and Avoid Fee Mistakes

Fees are paid online in Canadian dollars through your IRCC account. A few errors cause most fee-related delays:

• Paying the wrong amount. An incorrect fee can have your application returned.
• Forgetting a deferred RPRF. If you deferred it, be ready to pay before landing, at the current rate.
• Missing the biometrics family cap. Pay 170 for the family, not 85 each.
• Confusing restoration with extension. If your status lapsed, you pay restoration plus the permit fee, not just the permit fee.

How SEP Immigration Can Help

Fee errors are small in dollars but costly in delays, since a wrong amount can send an application back. SEP Immigration, led by Sepehr Falahati (CICC and IRB member R533959), maps the full fee picture for your specific pathway before you submit, so there are no mid-process surprises.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration fees change and several rose in 2026. Confirm the exact amount for your application on the Government of Canada's fee list, or with a licensed representative, before you pay.