Canada to hike PR fees April 30: Right of Citizenship costs also go up from March 31; check details

Canada is set to increase immigration costs, with higher citizenship application fees already in effect from March 31 and a broader hike in permanent residence (PR) application charges scheduled for April 30, 2026.

The changes will apply across nearly all immigration pathways, raising costs for applicants across economic, family and humanitarian categories.

Wide impact across PR categories

The fee revision covers all permanent residence streams, including major economic routes such as Express Entry and the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), as well as family sponsorship, protected persons, and humanitarian and compassionate cases.

The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) will also increase.

For most applicants, the cost jump will be visible across categories. The RPRF will rise from CA$575 to CA$600. Processing fees for principal applicants under economic programs will increase from CA$950 to CA$990, while dependent child fees will move from CA$260 to CA$270.

Business immigration applicants will see higher costs as well, with principal applicant fees rising from CA$1,810 to CA$1,895.

Family sponsorship fees will also be revised upward, with the sponsorship fee increasing from $85 to $90, and the sponsored principal applicant fee moving from CA$545 to CA$570.

Citizenship fee already revised

Alongside PR changes, Canada has also raised the right of citizenship fee.

The fee has increased from CA$119.75 to CA$123.00, effective March 31, 2026.

Who will be affected?

Applicants who submitted their applications online and paid the old fees before the respective deadlines will not be impacted.

However, those who mailed paper applications before the cut-off date may still have to pay the difference. This is because of the time gap between when an application is sent and when it is received by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Special case for RPRF payments

Applicants who chose to defer payment of the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will need to pay the revised amount.

Even if the application was submitted before April 30, the RPRF payable will be based on the rate applicable at the time of payment, not the date of application.

What to do if you paid the old fee

If additional payment is required, IRCC will notify applicants with instructions.

Applicants will need to calculate the difference between the old and new fees for each individual included in the application, and make the payment through IRCC’s online payment system.

Payments can be made in a single transaction or split across multiple transactions, with receipts generated for each payment. These receipts must then be submitted as per IRCC’s instructions.

With the revised fee structure coming into force in phases, applicants planning to move to Canada will need to factor in higher upfront costs across most immigration routes.