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Which immigration fees are increasing in 2026
Who is affected and who is not
Why paper applicants need to pay attention
How the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is treated
What these increases mean for applicants already budgeting a move
IRCC is increasing fees for permanent residence applications effective April 30, 2026, and the right of citizenship fee is increasing effective March 31, 2026. The changes apply across a wide range of permanent residence categories, including economic programs, family reunification, protected persons, humanitarian applications, and permit holder class applications.
The increases are not dramatic in isolation, but they arrive in a process where costs are cumulative. For many applicants, government fees sit alongside language testing, educational credential assessments, biometrics, medical exams, translations, and settlement expenses. In that context, even moderate fee changes can affect timing.
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What is changing
IRCC’s fee change page sets out the revised amounts. For many economic permanent residence applications, the principal applicant processing fee is rising from $950 to $990, while the Right of Permanent Residence Fee rises from $575 to $600. Fees for spouses, partners, dependent children, sponsored family members, and several humanitarian streams are also increasing. The right of citizenship fee rises from $119.75 to $123.00.
The important point is that the increases are broad rather than limited to one immigration stream. Applicants in Express Entry-linked programs, provincial nominee routes, family sponsorship, and other PR categories should all expect the revised amounts to apply after the effective date.
Who is affected
IRCC states that applicants who submitted online and paid the old fees before the relevant change date are not affected. That provides some certainty for people using digital application channels.
Paper applications are more complicated. IRCC notes that if a paper application was mailed before the increase but processed later, the department may still contact the applicant to request the difference. This is largely because delivery and intake timing can create a gap between when the package was sent and when it was formally received.
The Right of Permanent Residence Fee issue
One of the more important operational details concerns applicants who delayed paying the Right of Permanent Residence Fee. IRCC states that this fee is based on the amount in effect when it is paid, not the amount in effect when the original application was submitted. That means someone who applied before April 30 but pays the RPRF later may still have to pay the new $600 rate.
This matters because some applicants defer that payment to manage cash flow. In practice, the deferral may reduce immediate pressure but can still expose them to later fee increases.
Why this matters for newcomers
For prospective immigrants, these changes are most significant as a budgeting issue rather than a policy shock. Immigration planning often breaks down not because one fee is unaffordable, but because applicants underestimate the total cost of the process and leave too little room for changes.
That is particularly relevant for international students planning a transition to permanent residence, young professionals pursuing economic pathways, and families managing sponsorship cases while also dealing with housing and settlement costs in Canada.
What this means in practice
The immediate implication is simple. Applicants who are already ready to file should pay attention to timing. Those who are not yet ready should build these revised fees into their assumptions now rather than treat them as a surprise later.
The broader point is that immigration costs move incrementally, and applicants are usually better served by planning for the full process rather than only the initial application payment.
Until next time,
