Canada’s immigration department, IRCC, has recently unveiled some changes that will affect those seeking permanent residency in the country.
Thus, starting on April 30, 2024, the fees set for applications for permanent residence will increase. The fee increase follows Canadian regulations, which link adjustments to the Consumer Price Index for Canada. From the end of April, the fee for obtaining permanent residence will increase from $515 to $575, a noticeable increase of about 12 percent, VisaGuide.World reports.
This fee is paid when you apply for permanent residence, which is similar to obtaining a green card in the United States and paves the way for possible Canadian citizenship.
To ease the burden on families, Canada has waived this fee for dependent children accompanying applicants seeking permanent residence.
Canada Raises Immigration Fees for Skilled Workers & Families
In addition to the increase in application fees for permanent residence, the Canadian authorities have further revealed that the costs for various immigration flows are also increasing.
For example, fees for federal skilled workers, the provincial candidate program, Quebec skilled workers, the Atlantic immigration class, and many economy pilots, as well as their spouses or partners, will increase from $850 to $950. At the same time, the fee for accompanying a dependent child will increase from $230 to $260.
Similar increases apply to fees for programs such as the Live-in Caregiver Program and caregiver pilots, along with fees for accompanying dependent children.
IRCC Exempts Some Categories From Canada’s PR Fee Rises
However, not everyone will be affected by these rate increases. According to IRCC, not all candidates will be affected by the increase in Canada PR visa fees. Certain individuals are exempt from paying the RPR fees, including:
- Sponsored children under the Family Class Sponsorship who are at least 22 years old and without a spouse or partner.
- Principal applicants under Humanitarian and Compassionate considerations and public policy cases.
Additionally, candidates categorized as “Permit Holders” cannot include family members in their Canada PR applications. Instead, they must each submit their application.
Since 2020, it has been customary for the department to raise immigration fees every two years. However, this year’s increase is notably higher compared to the previous adjustments. While the fees rose by only two percent in April 2022, the latest increase is expected to be around 12-13 percent.
In April 2020, the fee increase mainly targeted economic PR immigration programs, excluding caregivers. But from 2022 onwards, the hike has applied to all types of applications.