Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that application fees across every permanent-residence (PR) category—and for citizenship—will rise this spring, the first major adjustment since 2024. Effective March 31 2026, the Right of Citizenship fee jumps from CA$119.75 to CA$123. One month later, on April 30 2026, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will climb from CA$575 to CA$600 and processing fees in economic streams such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program will move from CA$950 to CA$990 for principal applicants and their spouses. Business-immigration processing fees break the CA$1,800 threshold for the first time, increasing to CA$1,895, while family-class sponsorship, protected-persons, and humanitarian streams also see modest increases of between CA$20 and CA$35 per applicant. The government says the hikes are tied to the Consumer Price Index and are necessary to cover rising program-delivery costs and expanded digital infrastructure—including the rollout of analytics tools that flag duplicate applications and potential fraud. Officials insist that clients who submit complete applications and pay in full before the respective effective dates will be processed at the current (lower) rates, a point global-mobility managers should communicate urgently to affected assignees. For employers, the changes translate into higher budgeting requirements for foreign-talent pipelines in 2026-27.
![Canada Announces Fee Increases for Permanent Residence and Citizenship Applications]()
Whether you are a corporate mobility manager or an individual applicant, VisaHQ can streamline the process of getting paperwork in order before the higher fees take effect. Through its dedicated Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), VisaHQ provides up-to-date fee calculators, customizable document checklists, and end-to-end filing support, helping users submit complete applications quickly and avoid costly delays.
Companies that routinely cover employees’ PR fees—for example through relocation policies or talent-retention bonuses—face an immediate cost increase of roughly CA$150 per accompanying family of three. Multinationals are therefore re-examining whether to submit PR applications earlier than planned or to accelerate internal nomination processes so that staff can beat the deadline. Outside counsel are warning that the spring fee increases coincide with heavy application volumes caused by a one-off “TR-to-PR” transition program expiring later in the year. Adding capacity to in-house immigration teams and front-loading documentation (police certificates, language tests, medicals) could make the difference between paying 2025 rates or the new 2026 schedule. Finally, mobility specialists should audit travel-reimbursement policies: some policies reference static dollar amounts for government fees. Updating those figures and communicating the changes clearly—especially to executives on short timelines—will reduce reimbursement disputes and improve employee experience.
Whether you are a corporate mobility manager or an individual applicant, VisaHQ can streamline the process of getting paperwork in order before the higher fees take effect. Through its dedicated Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/), VisaHQ provides up-to-date fee calculators, customizable document checklists, and end-to-end filing support, helping users submit complete applications quickly and avoid costly delays.
Companies that routinely cover employees’ PR fees—for example through relocation policies or talent-retention bonuses—face an immediate cost increase of roughly CA$150 per accompanying family of three. Multinationals are therefore re-examining whether to submit PR applications earlier than planned or to accelerate internal nomination processes so that staff can beat the deadline. Outside counsel are warning that the spring fee increases coincide with heavy application volumes caused by a one-off “TR-to-PR” transition program expiring later in the year. Adding capacity to in-house immigration teams and front-loading documentation (police certificates, language tests, medicals) could make the difference between paying 2025 rates or the new 2026 schedule. Finally, mobility specialists should audit travel-reimbursement policies: some policies reference static dollar amounts for government fees. Updating those figures and communicating the changes clearly—especially to executives on short timelines—will reduce reimbursement disputes and improve employee experience.
