Canada to raise permanent residence fees on April 30. What applicants need to know

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published April 10, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

Canada is set to increase several permanent residence application fees effective April 30, 2026, in a move that will directly affect economic immigrants, family sponsorship applicants and provincial nominee candidates preparing their files this month. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the new amounts will apply to applications received on or after that date.

The main increases include the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, which will rise from $575 to $600, the Provincial Nominee Program fee from $950 to $990, and the family class principal applicant fee from $545 to $570. The sponsorship fee in family reunification cases will also increase from $85 to $90, while the dependent child fee in several permanent residence categories will rise from $260 to $270.

In practical terms, that means a principal applicant in many economic immigration streams who pays both the processing fee and the right of permanent residence fee will pay $1,590 instead of $1,525, an increase of $65. In family sponsorship cases, the base fees for the sponsor and sponsored principal applicant together will rise from $630 to $660, before any added costs for dependants.

IRCC also makes an important procedural distinction. Online applicants must pay the correct fee before submitting because online applications are received immediately. For paper applications, the department says it generally will not reject a complete application paid at the old rate if it was mailed before the fee change took effect. However, applicants who delayed paying the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will still have to pay the new amount even if the rest of the application was submitted earlier.

The federal government says permanent residence fees are adjusted every two years to help offset program delivery costs and keep pace with inflation. A Canada Gazette notice says the increase takes effect at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 30, 2026.

For applicants, the practical takeaway is straightforward: anyone whose file is ready may save money by submitting before April 30, especially in cases involving spouses or children. Those applying after that date should review the updated fee schedule carefully to avoid delays caused by underpayment.