Immigration fees in Canada are about to get more expensive. Beginning 30 April 2026, every category of permanent-residence (PR) application will see a price increase under the biennial Consumer Price Index adjustment mandated by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The Right of Permanent Residence Fee climbs from $575 to $600, while the principal-applicant processing fee for most economic programs—Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, Quebec Skilled Worker and the Atlantic Immigration Class—rises from $950 to $990. Business-class applicants take the biggest hit: the principal-applicant fee jumps by $85 to $1,895. Family-sponsorship processing fees inch up by $25 for sponsored spouses or partners and by $5 for sponsorship fees themselves. Protected-person, humanitarian and permit-holder categories also see across-the-board $25 increases. IRCC reminds applicants that the applicable fee is the one in effect on the date the department receives the application—not the date the applicant hits “submit” or drops the envelope in the mail.
![Permanent-residence fees set to rise on 30 April—IRCC urges applicants to pay correct amounts]()
For applicants who want to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ offers an easy way to monitor current fees and gather the correct paperwork. Its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides real-time updates, document checklists and deadline alerts, helping individuals and HR teams make sure every payment and form is in order before submission.
Online filers therefore have no grace period. Paper applicants who send files before 30 April may still be asked to pay the difference, though IRCC says it will not reject complete applications solely for outdated fees. The timing matters for corporate mobility units closing PR packages for key employees. A family of four applying through Express Entry will pay $150 more if they submit on or after 30 April; employers who reimburse fees may want to accelerate filings or adjust budgets. Lawyers also warn that paying the wrong fee can halt processing until the shortfall is settled, potentially jeopardising work-permit status if the applicant’s temporary documents expire while the file is inactive. Fee hikes coincide with ongoing Express Entry reforms and a historic consultation on merging the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and CEC programs. Observers say the incremental increases will not deter high-demand applicants but do reinforce Ottawa’s user-pay model for immigration services.
For applicants who want to stay ahead of these changes, VisaHQ offers an easy way to monitor current fees and gather the correct paperwork. Its Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) provides real-time updates, document checklists and deadline alerts, helping individuals and HR teams make sure every payment and form is in order before submission.
Online filers therefore have no grace period. Paper applicants who send files before 30 April may still be asked to pay the difference, though IRCC says it will not reject complete applications solely for outdated fees. The timing matters for corporate mobility units closing PR packages for key employees. A family of four applying through Express Entry will pay $150 more if they submit on or after 30 April; employers who reimburse fees may want to accelerate filings or adjust budgets. Lawyers also warn that paying the wrong fee can halt processing until the shortfall is settled, potentially jeopardising work-permit status if the applicant’s temporary documents expire while the file is inactive. Fee hikes coincide with ongoing Express Entry reforms and a historic consultation on merging the Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Trades and CEC programs. Observers say the incremental increases will not deter high-demand applicants but do reinforce Ottawa’s user-pay model for immigration services.
