Question Period Note: Permanent Residence Fees

Overview of Permanent Residence Fees

• The Government of Canada supports a cost-effective approach to financing Government programs where the costs are borne by those who receive the services and benefit directly from them.

• Permanent residence fees have not increased since 2002. As such, they do not reflect the rise in inflation over the last 18 years and the increasing cost of permanent residence operations and processing.

• As of April 30, the increase will affect applicants to most Economic PR immigration programs, except caregivers. The fees will then be adjusted every two years for all PR applications, including Economic, Family and Humanitarian programs, starting in 2022.

• The changes ensure that Canada remains competitive and in line with fees charged by other immigrant-receiving countries. In most cases, Canada’s fees are considerably less expensive than countries with similar migration systems, such as Australia and the United States.

• This is a thoughtful and responsible approach that takes into consideration Canada’s need for more immigrants, while simultaneously balancing our fiscal responsibilities.

• As part of its core mandate, the Department facilitates the admission and economic and social integration of immigrants and refugees who intend to stay in Canada permanently, while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians.

• The Department selects economic immigrant applicants to contribute to the Canadian economy, processes family member applicants to reunite families, and processes refugee and protected person applicants to provide a safe haven for those facing persecution.

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada works with security partners to deliver permanent residence programs including activities such as the assessment of admissibility and security requirements.

• The Department collects several fees for the purpose of delivering permanent residence services. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides legal authority to Immigration, Refugees Citizenship Canada’s Minister to make regulations respecting fees for permanent residence services provided in the administration of the Act.

• Fees for permanent residence are estab+L5lished in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

• Current fees and fees applicable as of April 30 based on the amending regulations are summarized in the following table:

Program Applicant Current Fee as of April 22, 2020
As of April 30
Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) $490 $500
Federal Skilled, Provincial Nominee Program and Quebec Skilled Workers Principal applicant $550 $825
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner $550 $825
Accompanying dependent child1 $150 $225
Business
(Federal and Quebec) Principal applicant $1,050 $1,575
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner $550 $825
Accompanying dependent child1 $150 $225
Family Reunification
(Spouses, Partners and Children;
Parents and Grandparents; and other relatives) Sponsorship Fee $75 $75
Sponsored principal applicant $475 $475
Sponsored child (Principal applicant under 22 and not a spouse/partner) 1 $75 $75
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner $550 $550
Accompanying dependent child1 $150 $150
Protected Persons Principal applicant1 $550 $550
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner1 $550 $550
Accompanying dependent child1 $150 $150
Humanitarian and Compassionate / Public Policy Principal applicant1 $550 $550
Accompanying spouse or common-law partner $550 $550
Accompanying dependent child1 $150 $150
Permit Holders Principal applicant2 $325 $325

1. These applicants are exempt from paying the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF). Note: principal applicants in t+L6he Humanitarian and Compassionate category are only exempt under certain circumstances.
2. Members of the Permit Holder class may not include accompanying family members in their applications for permanent residence. Such individuals must submit their own applications as a principal applicant.

• The fee increases in 2020 are focused on application fees for the economic immigration classes as well as a slight increase to the Right of Permanent Residence fee.

• In addition to the fee increases in 2020, most permanent residence application fees and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee will increase by a measure of inflation, namely the cumulative biennial Consumer Price Index, in 2022, and every second year thereafter.

• Foreign nationals, except those under the age of 14 or over the age of 79, are also required to provide biometrics and pay the associated fee of $85.

• Resettled refugees are exempted from paying any permanent residence fees.

• Permanent residence application fees remain internationally competitive with other Migration Five member countries. In fact, Canada currently charges the lowest application fees for permanent residence applications.

• Revenues collected from Permanent Residence fees are deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Fund – the centralized account for all Government of Canada monies and while they partially offset the cost of services, they are not available for IRCC to spend on program delivery.

• The Department collected over $300M in revenues from Permanent Residence fees in 2018-19, a 7% increase from 2017-18.

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