Permanent Residence Fee Increase

Summary#

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration announced that permanent residence fees will rise on April 30, 2024 at 9:00:00 a.m. Eastern daylight time. The increase is tied to the two-year change in the Consumer Price Index and affects many application and processing fees for people applying for permanent residence in Canada.

What it does#

• Raises permanent residence fees across most application categories for the period April 2024–March 2026.
• The new fee amounts were calculated using the cumulative Consumer Price Index change for 2022 and 2023, then rounded to the nearest $5.
• Examples of changed fees (current → new):
  • Right of Permanent Residence Fee (principal applicant and accompanying spouse/partner): $515 → $575.
  • Federal skilled workers / Provincial Nominee Program (principal applicant): $850 → $950.
  • Business class (principal applicant): $1,625 → $1,810.
  • Live‑in Caregiver / caregiver pilots (principal applicant): $570 → $635.
  • Family sponsorship fee (sponsorship application): $75 → $85; sponsored principal applicant: $490 → $545.
  • Permit holders applying for permanent residence (principal applicant): $335 → $375.
• Some applicants remain exempt from the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, notably dependent children and protected persons in many cases; principal applicants in humanitarian and compassionate categories may be exempt in certain situations.
• For questions, the notice lists Martin Mulligan (Director, Fees) as a contact for inquiries.

Who's affected#

• People applying for Canadian permanent residence as principal applicants.
• Accompanying spouses or common‑law partners and dependent children included in those applications.
• Applicants across major streams such as Federal Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Program, Business immigration, caregiver streams, family reunification (spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents), protected persons, and some permit holders applying for permanent residence.
• Some categories and exemptions are complex (for example, dependent children and protected persons), so specific applicants should check whether a fee applies to them.

Why it matters#

• Applicants will pay more to apply for permanent residence. That raises the out‑of‑pocket cost for individuals and families seeking to settle in Canada.
• Fees are automatically adjusted every two years to follow inflation (CPI), so future changes will follow the same approach.
• If you plan to apply soon, you should budget for the higher fees that take effect on April 30, 2024 and confirm which fees and exemptions apply to your situation.