Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has notified stakeholders that most economic-class permanent-resident (PR) application fees will increase by an average of 12 per cent on 30 April 2026, in line with the agency’s biennial cost-recovery adjustment. The change was first flagged in departmental briefing materials released on 28 March and subsequently circulated in practitioner channels over the weekend. The principal-applicant fee for federal economic streams—including Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Trades categories—will rise from C$1,365 to C$1,530. Accompanying spouse/partner fees move to C$1,300, while each dependent child will cost C$260, up from C$230. The right-of-permanent-residence fee, payable by most approved applicants at finalisation, climbs from C$575 to C$645.
![IRCC confirms permanent-resident application fees will jump 12 % on April 30]()
For those looking to stay ahead of these fee changes, VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time updates, personalized checklists, and concierge support to simplify applications. Whether you’re a corporate mobility manager handling bulk filings or an individual applicant, VisaHQ can help ensure submissions meet the latest requirements and deadlines, potentially saving time and avoiding costly resubmissions.
Provincial Nominee Program fees collected by IRCC mirror the federal figures; several provinces are expected to announce matching increases to their own processing levies. IRCC says the hike reflects inflation and higher overhead associated with expanded fraud-detection capacity. While the individual increases seem modest, large corporate migration programs may see six-figure jumps in their annual Canadian PR budgets. Companies with trainees or rotational assignees transitioning to permanent status are being advised to accelerate filings before the April 30 deadline. Practitioners note that this is the first adjustment since 2024 and coincides with the federal government’s push to shore up cost recovery across user-pay programs. A separate regulatory package expected later this year will address biometrics and medical-exam fees. Applicants already invited to apply but yet to pay can still lock in the lower rates, provided payment is submitted before the effective date. Beyond the dollar figures, the announcement is a reminder that Canada’s immigration costs, once viewed as comparatively low, are moving closer to those of peer destinations such as Australia and the U.K. Mobility managers should revisit their cost-projection models and communicate the changes to affected employees promptly.
For those looking to stay ahead of these fee changes, VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers real-time updates, personalized checklists, and concierge support to simplify applications. Whether you’re a corporate mobility manager handling bulk filings or an individual applicant, VisaHQ can help ensure submissions meet the latest requirements and deadlines, potentially saving time and avoiding costly resubmissions.
Provincial Nominee Program fees collected by IRCC mirror the federal figures; several provinces are expected to announce matching increases to their own processing levies. IRCC says the hike reflects inflation and higher overhead associated with expanded fraud-detection capacity. While the individual increases seem modest, large corporate migration programs may see six-figure jumps in their annual Canadian PR budgets. Companies with trainees or rotational assignees transitioning to permanent status are being advised to accelerate filings before the April 30 deadline. Practitioners note that this is the first adjustment since 2024 and coincides with the federal government’s push to shore up cost recovery across user-pay programs. A separate regulatory package expected later this year will address biometrics and medical-exam fees. Applicants already invited to apply but yet to pay can still lock in the lower rates, provided payment is submitted before the effective date. Beyond the dollar figures, the announcement is a reminder that Canada’s immigration costs, once viewed as comparatively low, are moving closer to those of peer destinations such as Australia and the U.K. Mobility managers should revisit their cost-projection models and communicate the changes to affected employees promptly.
