Ottawa to raise permanent residence fees April 30, 2026; business applicants face largest $85 increase

Ottawa to raise permanent residence fees April 30, 2026; business applicants face largest $85 increase

Summary: Canada will increase permanent residence fees on 2026-04-30 to maintain timely, reliable services and keep pace with inflation. Business-class applicants face the largest hike, while other categories see smaller, standardized increases. Ottawa, March 27, 2026—Canada will raise permanent residence fees effective April 30, 2026, citing the need to deliver timely, reliable services and align with inflation. The changes affect multiple immigration pathways, including Express Entry streams, provincial nominee programs, family sponsorship, humanitarian and refugee categories, and the Start-Up Visa. Key changes for principal applicants:
- Right of permanent residence fee: +$25 (from $575 to $600)
- Provincial Nominee Program: +$40 (from $950 to $990)
- Business: +$85 (from $1,810 to $1,895) — the largest increase
- Family class: +$25 (from $545 to $570)
- Protected persons: +$25 (from $635 to $660)
- Humanitarian and compassionate/public policy: +$25 (from $635 to $660)
- Permit holders: +$15 (from $375 to $390) Programs affected include: Express Entry (EE-FSW, EE-FST, EE-CEC, EE-PNP), OINP streams (JOFW, JOIS, JOID, EE-Trade, EE-Health, EE-Tech, EE-Other, EE-French), BCPNP, Sponsorship, H&C, Refugees, and the Startup Visa. Independent analysis:
- Positive: Indexing fees to inflation may help sustain processing capacity and service quality, potentially reducing backlogs over time. The standardized, modest increases in family, protected persons, and H&C categories limit abrupt cost shocks for vulnerable applicants.
- Negative: The $85 increase for business-class applicants could marginally raise entry costs for entrepreneurs and investors, affecting smaller ventures. Modest increases across PNP and Express Entry could prompt short-term application surges before the April 30, 2026 effective date, with budget impacts for families and provincial nominees.
- Overall: The adjustments are incremental for most streams but signal continued cost alignment measures across federal immigration programs. Applicants with pending plans may consider timing and budget implications ahead of the effective date.

Date of update: 2026-04-02
Source: News Article

Tags: Canada immigration, permanent residence fees, IRCC fees, Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, family sponsorship, Start-Up Visa, refugees, humanitarian and compassionate, RPRF, 2026 immigration update End of article.