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🇨🇦 Current IRCC Government Fee Framework

IRCC Fee Calculator & Government Payment Guide 2026

Calculate current Canadian immigration and citizenship government fees, including the April 30, 2026 permanent-residence increase, work and study permits, biometrics, citizenship and refundable fees.

1. How to Use an IRCC Fee Calculator in 2026

IRCC fees depend on the exact application, applicant category, family composition, biometrics requirements and the date the application is received. Permanent-residence fees changed on April 30, 2026, while the adult right-of-citizenship fee changed on March 31, 2026. A reliable calculator therefore needs an effective-date field rather than relying on historical fee tables.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • Use the exact IRCC application type before calculating the amount.
  • Permanent-residence applications received on or after April 30, 2026 are subject to the new permanent-residence fees.
  • The adult right-of-citizenship fee increased on March 31, 2026.
  • Temporary-residence fees currently include $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit and $100 for the open-work-permit holder fee where applicable.
  • Biometrics cost $85 per individual or up to $170 for an eligible family applying together.
  • Some applicants are exempt from specific fees, so a calculator must include exemption logic.
  • Government application fees and employer costs such as LMIA or employer-compliance fees should be calculated separately.

Mandatory Action Checklist

✓Identify the exact IRCC application category.
✓Check the application-received date against applicable fee-change dates.
✓Count the principal applicant, accompanying spouse/common-law partner and dependent children where the application requires per-person fees.
✓Check whether biometrics are required.
✓Check whether the applicant is exempt from any fee.
✓Pay through the official IRCC payment process and retain the receipt.

2. Current 2026 Temporary-Residence Fees

The following are current IRCC government application fees for common temporary-residence applications. Individual exemptions and special categories can change the amount actually payable.

Application / ServiceCurrent FeeNotes
Study permit$150Per person, including extensions
Visitor visa / Super Visa$100Per person; eligible families of 5 or more applying together at the same time and place have a $500 maximum
Work permit$155Per person, including extensions
Open work permit holder fee$100Additional fee for an eligible open work permit applicant
Open work permit total$255$155 work-permit processing + $100 open-work-permit holder fee
Biometrics$85Per individual when biometrics are required
Biometrics family maximum$170Eligible family members applying together
eTA$7Electronic Travel Authorization
Temporary resident permit$246.25Current fee after the December 1, 2025 adjustment

3. 2026 Permanent-Residence Fee Changes

IRCC increased permanent-residence application fees on April 30, 2026. The fee must be determined according to the program and the date the application is received.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • The $990 processing fee applies to the principal applicant and accompanying spouse/common-law partner for the federal skilled worker, provincial nominee and other listed economic programs covered by the fee increase.
  • The RPRF is $600 for each principal applicant and accompanying spouse/common-law partner.
  • Dependent children are exempt from the RPRF.
  • The $1,590 figure for one economic principal applicant assumes the applicant pays both the $990 processing fee and $600 RPRF.
  • Applicants can choose to pay the RPRF later in eligible applications, but it must be paid before permanent residence can be granted.
Economic PR ApplicantProcessing Fee From April 30, 2026RPRFTotal if RPRF Is Paid With Application
Federal High Skilled / Express Entry principal applicant$990$600$1,590
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner$990$600$1,590
Accompanying dependent child$270$0$270
Two-adult economic application$1,980 processing$1,200 RPRF$3,180 total
Two adults + one dependent child$2,250 processing$1,200 RPRF$3,450 total

Scenario Examples

Single economic applicant paying both fees: $990 + $600 = $1,590.
Economic applicant with accompanying spouse, both paying processing and RPRF: $990 + $600 + $990 + $600 = $3,180.
Economic applicant, spouse and one dependent child: $990 + $600 + $990 + $600 + $270 = $3,450.

4. Other Permanent-Residence Fees

Not every permanent-residence pathway has the same processing fee. A calculator should identify the program instead of treating all PR applications as Express Entry applications.

Program / ApplicantCurrent Processing Fee From April 30, 2026RPRF Where Applicable
Federal High Skilled / Provincial Nominee / listed economic principal applicant$990$600
Accompanying spouse/common-law partner in listed economic programs$990$600
Accompanying dependent child$270Exempt
Family sponsorship - sponsored principal applicant$570$600 where applicable
Family sponsorship - accompanying spouse/partner$660$600 where applicable
Family sponsorship - dependent child$180Exempt
Protected persons - principal applicant$660$600 where applicable
H&C/public policy - principal applicant$660$600 where applicable

Important Guidelines & Notes

  • The exact family-sponsorship total depends on the sponsor fee, principal applicant fee, accompanying family members and RPRF applicability.
  • Certain applicants are legally exempt from the RPRF.
  • Do not apply economic Express Entry fees to family-class, protected-person or H&C applications.

5. Canadian Citizenship Fees in 2026

The adult citizenship grant fee changed on March 31, 2026 because the right-of-citizenship fee increased from $119.75 to $123. The adult processing fee remains $530.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • The current adult citizenship total is $653, not $600.
  • The $123 right-of-citizenship fee increased on March 31, 2026.
  • The adult $530 processing component was not increased by that March 31 change.
  • Minor citizenship grants generally have a $100 application fee because minors do not pay the adult right-of-citizenship fee in the same way.
Citizenship ServiceCurrent Fee
Adult citizenship grant, age 18+$653 total: $530 processing + $123 right of citizenship
Minor citizenship grant$100
Proof of citizenship / citizenship certificate$75
Search of citizenship records$75
Resume citizenship - adult$530
Renounce citizenship$100
Right of citizenship component$123

6. Biometrics Fees

When biometrics are required, the current fee is $85 for an individual or a maximum of $170 for an eligible family of two or more people applying together at the same time and place.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • Paying the biometrics fee does not mean biometrics are required in every application.
  • Eligibility and exemptions must be checked for the applicant's nationality, application type and existing biometric status.
  • The biometrics appointment itself does not normally have an additional appointment fee from IRCC.
Applicant SituationBiometrics Fee
One eligible person$85
Eligible family of two or moreMaximum $170
Three or more eligible performing artists applying as a groupMaximum $255
Applicant exempt from biometrics$0 biometrics fee

7. Refund Rules: What You Get Back and When

IRCC refund rules depend on the type of fee and the point in processing when the application is withdrawn or refused. There is no blanket rule that every fee is non-refundable or that every fee is fully refunded after refusal.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • If an online application is withdrawn before processing starts, eligible fees can be automatically refunded.
  • After processing begins, IRCC says only certain fees can still be refunded.
  • RPRF is one of the fees that remains refundable in applicable refused or withdrawn PR cases.
  • Eligible refunds can take approximately 2 to 8 weeks to appear.
  • A refusal does not automatically mean every fee paid will be refunded.
Fee TypeTypical Refund Treatment
Processing feeGenerally refundable if you withdraw before IRCC starts processing; generally not refunded after processing begins, subject to specific IRCC rules
RPRFRefundable when the application is refused or withdrawn in circumstances where the RPRF is eligible for refund; it is also not lost merely because processing has started
Open work permit holder feeRefundable for LMIA-exempt workers when the applicable refund conditions are met
Employer compliance feeRefundable to the employer when the applicable refund conditions are met
Biometrics feeSubject to IRCC's refund rules and whether the fee was collected in error or the application was withdrawn before processing conditions arise

8. Employer Immigration Fees: Keep Them Separate

Some immigration costs are paid by employers rather than applicants. These should not be included in the applicant's IRCC fee total.

Key Policy Highlights & Benchmarks

  • The $1,000 LMIA processing fee is an employer cost.
  • Employers generally cannot recover the LMIA processing fee or prohibited recruitment costs from the temporary foreign worker.
  • The $230 employer compliance fee is separate from the worker's $155 work-permit processing fee.
  • Open work permits generally do not use the employer compliance fee because they are not based on an employer-specific offer in the same way.
Employer CostCurrent AmountWho Pays
LMIA processing fee$1,000 per position for an application subject to the standard LMIA processing feeEmployer
Employer compliance fee$230 in most LMIA-exempt International Mobility Program situationsEmployer
Biometrics$85 individual / $170 family maximum where requiredApplicant/family

9. Fee-Exemption and Special-Case Checks

Before paying, check whether the applicant or application category is exempt from a particular fee. IRCC has specific fee-exemption rules for certain workers, humanitarian situations, applicants under particular public policies and other circumstances.

Scenario Examples

A dependent child in an economic PR application does not pay the RPRF, but the child still has an applicable processing fee.
Some work-permit categories are exempt from one or more fees under specific federal policies.
A person restoring status as a worker can owe both the restoration fee and the work-permit processing fee.

Mandatory Action Checklist

✓Check whether the applicant is exempt from the processing fee.
✓Check whether the applicant is exempt from the RPRF.
✓Check whether biometrics are exempt or already valid under the applicable rules.
✓Check whether an open-work-permit category has a special fee exemption.
✓Check whether a restoration or combined application requires more than one fee.
✓Check family caps for visitor visas and biometrics where applicable.
✓Check the current fee page immediately before payment.

10. Fee Calculator Formulas

A reliable calculator should select the correct program first, then add the applicable per-person fees, optional RPRF and biometrics rather than using a single hard-coded PR total.

Scenario Examples

One economic Express Entry applicant who pays the RPRF with the application: $990 + $600 = $1,590.
Economic applicant plus spouse, both paying RPRF: $990 + $600 + $990 + $600 = $3,180.
Economic applicant, spouse and one dependent child: $990 + $600 + $990 + $600 + $270 = $3,450.
Open work permit applicant who must pay both work-permit fees: $155 + $100 = $255.
Adult citizenship grant: $530 + $123 = $653.

Formulas

  • Economic PR principal total when both fees are paid = $990 processing + $600 RPRF = $1,590 for applications received on or after April 30, 2026.
  • Accompanying economic PR spouse/partner total when both fees are applicable = $990 + $600 = $1,590.
  • Economic PR dependent child = $270 processing + $0 RPRF = $270.
  • Adult citizenship grant = $530 processing + $123 right-of-citizenship fee = $653 for applications received on or after March 31, 2026.
  • Open work permit total = $155 work-permit processing + $100 open-work-permit holder fee = $255 where the additional fee applies.
  • Individual biometrics = $85 when required.
  • Eligible family biometrics = minimum of applicable individual biometrics total and $170 family maximum.

11. Payment and Receipt Workflow

IRCC fees should be paid through the official Canada.ca/IRCC payment system or the payment process specified in the application instructions. The payment receipt must be associated with the correct application.

Mandatory Action Checklist

✓Confirm the exact application type.
✓Check the current IRCC fee page and effective date.
✓Calculate all applicants and applicable services.
✓Check exemptions before paying.
✓Pay using an accepted payment method.
✓Save the official payment receipt immediately.
✓Upload or attach the receipt where the application instructions require it.
✓Do not pay a second time merely because a duplicate receipt is requested unless IRCC specifically instructs you to do so.
✓If the wrong amount was paid, follow IRCC's fee-difference or refund instructions rather than guessing.

12. Common IRCC Fee Mistakes

Mandatory Action Checklist

✓Using the pre-April-30-2026 $950 economic PR processing fee.
✓Using the pre-April-30-2026 $575 RPRF.
✓Using $600 as the 2026 adult citizenship total.
✓Forgetting the $123 right-of-citizenship fee increase effective March 31, 2026.
✓Adding the RPRF to dependent-child fees.
✓Adding $230 employer compliance fees to the applicant's government fee total.
✓Calling the $1,000 LMIA fee an IRCC applicant fee.
✓Assuming every work-permit applicant owes the $100 open-work-permit fee.
✓Assuming every applicant must pay biometrics.
✓Assuming all fees are non-refundable after payment.
✓Assuming a refusal automatically produces a refund of every fee.
✓Using an old online fee calculator without checking effective dates.

13. Quick 2026 Fee Decision Guide

ApplicationCurrent Starting Government Fee
Economic PR principal applicant with RPRF$1,590 from April 30, 2026
Economic PR accompanying spouse/partner with RPRF$1,590 from April 30, 2026
Economic PR dependent child$270
Study permit$150
Visitor visa$100 per person
Work permit$155
Open work permit where $100 holder fee applies$255
Adult citizenship grant$653 from March 31, 2026
Individual biometrics when required$85
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

For applications received on or after April 30, 2026, the economic permanent-residence processing fee is $990 and the RPRF is $600 when applicable. Paying both at the outset gives a total of $1,590 for one principal applicant.

For applications received on or after March 31, 2026, the adult citizenship grant total is $653: $530 processing fee plus the $123 right-of-citizenship fee.

Where the applicant is required to pay both fees, the total is $255: $155 for work-permit processing plus the $100 open-work-permit holder fee. Some applicants are exempt from one or both fees.

The current biometrics fee is $85 per individual when biometrics are required. The maximum for an eligible family of two or more people applying together at the same time and place is $170.

The RPRF is one of the fees that can be refunded when the application is refused or withdrawn in circumstances covered by IRCC's refund rules. Processing fees are treated differently and are generally refunded only when an eligible application is withdrawn before processing begins or another specific refund rule applies.

The $1,000 standard LMIA processing fee is an employer cost and cannot be recovered from the temporary foreign worker. The $230 employer compliance fee generally applies to employers using the International Mobility Program and is also an employer responsibility. These fees should not be added to the worker's personal IRCC application total.

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2026 IRCC Fee Metrics

Economic PR Processing Fee$990 per principal applicant; $990 accompanying spouse/partner
RPRF$600 per principal applicant and accompanying spouse/partner
Open Work Permit$155 work-permit fee + $100 open-work-permit fee
Adult Citizenship$530 processing + $123 right-of-citizenship fee = $653

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