Immigration practitioners across Canada should take note: two rounds of federal fee increases are coming in quick succession this spring, and clients may need to move fast to avoid paying more.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that fees for permanent residence and citizenship applications will increase on two separate dates in 2026, citing the need to keep pace with inflation and cover the rising costs of program delivery.

What Is Changing and When

The first increase takes effect on March 31, 2026, and applies to citizenship applications. The right of citizenship fee for adult applicants will rise from $119.75 to $123.00. The $530 processing fee for adult citizenship grants is not changing. For adult applicants, this brings the total citizenship application cost to $653.00.

The second round of increases takes effect on April 30, 2026, and is broader in scope, affecting all permanent residence application categories. The following new fees will apply to principal applicants:

• Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): $575 to $600
• Provincial Nominee Program: $950 to $990
• Business: $1,810 to $1,895
• Family class: $545 to $570
• Protected persons: $635 to $660
• Humanitarian and compassionate grounds or public policy measures: $635 to $660
• Permit holders: $375 to $390

Fees for dependent children and accompanying spouses will also increase. The full updated fee schedule is available on IRCC’s Citizenship and immigration application fees page.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, permanent residence fees are adjusted every two years to offset the cost of running the program and respond to growing demand.

Timing and Transitional Rules

Applicants who submit online applications before the respective effective dates and pay their fees at that time will not be subject to the new amounts. For paper-based applications, the key date is when IRCC receives the package, not when it is mailed. Applicants who send paper applications close to the deadline should be aware that processing delays could result in an obligation to pay the difference.

One important point for PR applicants: the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is charged based on the date it is paid, not the date the application was submitted. This means that applicants who deferred their RPRF payment until after April 30, 2026, will be required to pay the new $600 amount even if their application was submitted earlier. If an applicant has already paid the previous fee amount and their application is received after the deadline, IRCC will contact them with instructions on how to pay the difference.

What Practitioners Should Do Now

Practitioners advising clients currently in the pipeline should review whether any pending applications may be affected, particularly where RPRF payments have been deferred or where paper applications are being prepared close to the deadlines. Clients who are nearly ready to submit should be informed of the upcoming increases so they can make timely decisions.

For the most current information, visit the IRCC fee changes page directly.