The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has officially filed a regulatory notice in the 4 April 2026 edition of the Canada Gazette confirming that most permanent-residence (PR) fees will go up at 9:00 a.m. EDT on 30 April 2026. Fees for economic-class principal applicants (including Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program and Start-up Visa) will rise by C$95 to C$700, while accompanying spouses will pay C$590 (up from C$515).
![Canada to Raise Permanent-Residence Fees on April 30 2026]()
For applicants who want guidance on navigating these fee changes—and any future CPI-linked adjustments—VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance with Canadian immigration applications, including secure fee payment tools and document reviews. Visit https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to see how their online platform can streamline the PR process and help you stay compliant with the latest IRCC requirements.
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) will increase to C$575. IRCC says the adjustment reflects the cumulative 7.8 % rise in Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) from April 2024 to March 2026 and ensures the department can keep pace with growing application volumes without drawing on general tax revenues. This is the first CPI-linked fee hike since April 2024 and follows a year in which IRCC processed a record 1.2 million permanent-residence decisions. For employers, higher PR costs may affect talent-mobility budgets and relocation packages. Corporate immigration managers should update cost projections for workers converting from temporary to permanent status—especially under fast-track pathways such as the Global Talent Stream and category-based Express Entry draws—because the RPRF is often paid by the company to expedite onboarding. Prospective immigrants are advised to submit complete applications before 30 April to lock in the lower fee schedule; incomplete filings returned after that date will be subject to the new rates. Applicants unable to file in time should budget for the higher amounts and expect new online payment screens to go live the same morning. IRCC has not ruled out CPI adjustments for study-permit, work-permit or visitor fees later in 2026, signalling that Canada will continue to align immigration user fees with inflation as part of its cost-recovery model.
For applicants who want guidance on navigating these fee changes—and any future CPI-linked adjustments—VisaHQ offers step-by-step assistance with Canadian immigration applications, including secure fee payment tools and document reviews. Visit https://www.visahq.com/canada/ to see how their online platform can streamline the PR process and help you stay compliant with the latest IRCC requirements.
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) will increase to C$575. IRCC says the adjustment reflects the cumulative 7.8 % rise in Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) from April 2024 to March 2026 and ensures the department can keep pace with growing application volumes without drawing on general tax revenues. This is the first CPI-linked fee hike since April 2024 and follows a year in which IRCC processed a record 1.2 million permanent-residence decisions. For employers, higher PR costs may affect talent-mobility budgets and relocation packages. Corporate immigration managers should update cost projections for workers converting from temporary to permanent status—especially under fast-track pathways such as the Global Talent Stream and category-based Express Entry draws—because the RPRF is often paid by the company to expedite onboarding. Prospective immigrants are advised to submit complete applications before 30 April to lock in the lower fee schedule; incomplete filings returned after that date will be subject to the new rates. Applicants unable to file in time should budget for the higher amounts and expect new online payment screens to go live the same morning. IRCC has not ruled out CPI adjustments for study-permit, work-permit or visitor fees later in 2026, signalling that Canada will continue to align immigration user fees with inflation as part of its cost-recovery model.
