From April 30, 2022, Canada immigration will increase the fees on permanent residence applications.Â
The last increase in the PR fees happened in 2002, and it’s the first time that the IRCC is raising the fees. The plan was to increase the fees every two years, but that did not happen until now.Â
Canada raises PR immigration fees
Apart from the application fees, you might have to pay $500 for a PR fee. It gets called the right of residency fee. You can pay the fee during the application stages or when the IRCC approves your application. The officials refund the fee if they decline the PR application.Â
 The right of residency fee doesn’t apply to you in the following cases:Â
- Principal applicant or sponsor’s dependent childrenÂ
- Sponsoring applications to adopt a childÂ
- A sponsoring application to adopt an orphan:
- brother,Â
- sister,Â
- niece,Â
- nephewÂ
- grandchild
The fees for the following cases will increase this year:Â
- Permanent resident cards,
- Permanent resident travel documentsÂ
- Certification or replacement immigration documents
Program | Candidates | Current fee | New fee |
Right of Permanent Residence Fee | Principal applicant and accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $500 | $515 |
Federal High Skilled, Provincial Nominee Program and Quebec Skilled Workers, Atlantic Immigration Class and most Economic Pilots (Rural, Agri-Food) | Principal applicant | $825 | $850 |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $825 | $850 | |
Accompanying dependent child | $225 | $230 | |
Live-in Caregiver Program and Caregivers Pilots (Home Child Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot) | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570Â | |
Accompanying dependent child | $150Â | $155 | |
Business (Federal and Quebec) | Principal applicant | $1.575 | $1.625 |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $825 | $850 | |
Accompanying dependent child | $225 | $230 | |
Family Reunification (Spouses, Partners and Children; Parents and Grandparents; and other relatives) | Sponsorship fee | $75 | $75 |
Sponsored principal applicant | $475 | $490 | |
Sponsored dependent child | $75 | $75 | |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
Protected Persons | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550 | $570 | |
Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
Humanitarian and Compassionate / Public Policy | Principal applicant | $550 | $570 |
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner | $550Â | $570 | |
Accompanying dependent child | $150 | $155 | |
Permit Holders | Principal applicant | $325 | $335 |
Source: CIC NewsÂ
Applicants need to pay most of the fees and expenses of their application. The Canadian government tries to put the financial burden on applicants, not the taxpayers.Â
Compared with countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, Canada has fewer application fees. The increase is to catch up with the increased fees of similar countries.Â
You can expect the next round of increases in fees in 2024.Â