Canada to raise permanent residence, citizenship fees

Canada will increase fees for permanent residence (PR) and citizenship applications, with changes coming into effect from March 31 and April 30, 2026. The revised fee structure will apply across all PR categories and to the right of citizenship fee, according to details shared in the report.

The fee hike will cover economic immigration streams such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), along with family sponsorship, protected persons, and humanitarian applications. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) will also increase.

Applicants who submitted and paid online before the respective deadlines will not be affected. However, those who sent paper applications before the change may need to pay the difference if there is a delay in processing.

What changes for applicants

The Right of Permanent Residence Fee will rise from $575 to $600 for principal applicants and accompanying partners. For high-skilled programs, including Express Entry and PNP, the processing fee for principal applicants and spouses will increase from $950 to $990, while dependent child fees will go up from $260 to $270.

Business immigration applicants will see fees increase from $1,810 to $1,895 for principal applicants. In family sponsorship cases, the sponsorship fee will move from $85 to $90, and the fee for sponsored principal applicants will rise from $545 to $570.

Fees for protected persons and humanitarian cases will also increase. Principal applicants and accompanying partners in these categories will pay $660, up from $635, while dependent child fees will rise slightly.

In addition, the right of citizenship fee will increase from $119.75 to $123 starting March 31, 2026.

What if you already applied?

Applicants who completed online submissions before the deadlines will not need to take further action. Their payments will be accepted at the old rates.

For paper applications, authorities have said they generally will not reject applications sent before the fee change if they are complete. However, applicants may be asked to pay the difference later.

Those required to pay the gap must calculate the difference between the old and new fees and use the official payment system. They can make the payment in one or multiple transactions and submit receipts as instructed.

An important detail applies to those who delayed paying the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. They must pay the new amount of $600, even if they applied earlier. The fee is based on the rate at the time of payment, not the application date.

The changes mean higher upfront costs for applicants planning to move to Canada, while those who have already applied online before the deadlines remain unaffected.