Canada PR Fees 2026: Application Fee and the $600 RPRF

On the IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026), an economic permanent residence application, including Express Entry, is $1,590 with the right of permanent residence fee (RPRF) and $990 without it. A spouse or partner included on the application is the same again, and each dependent child is $270. IRCC says it refunds the RPRF if you withdraw or it refuses the application.

People searching for "Canada PR fees" usually want one number. The IRCC fee list gives several, and the difference between them is the right of permanent residence fee, known as the RPRF. If you only see the lower figure, you can budget $600 too little for each adult.

This guide reads the permanent residence section of the fee list as it stood on 21 September 2026. It explains what the processing fee and the RPRF are, how the amounts add up for a single applicant, a couple and a family, when the RPRF is paid and when it comes back, and which costs sit outside the IRCC list altogether. It describes how the fees work. It does not tell you which program to use.

Fees are indexed and change. Before you pay, open the IRCC fee list and read the line for your exact application type. For the wider list of visa, permit and citizenship fees, see our guide to Canadian immigration fees in 2026.

The economic immigration fee, line by line

The fee list has a block headed "Economic immigration (including Express Entry)". IRCC says these fees apply to the Atlantic immigration program, the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Workers, Federal Skilled Trades, provincial nominees, the rural or francophone community immigration pilots, and Quebec-selected skilled workers. In Canadian dollars, the lines read:

Your application: $1,590.00. IRCC's note says this amount includes the processing fee and the right of permanent residence fee.
Your application (without right of permanent residence fee): $990.00.
Include your spouse or partner: $1,590.00, with the same note.
Include your spouse or partner (without right of permanent residence fee): $990.00.
Include a dependent child: $270.00 per child.

The RPRF is listed separately as $600.00. So $1,590 minus $990 is exactly the $600 RPRF. The $990 is the processing fee. Everyone on the application who is not exempt pays both parts.

One line matters for budgeting: the amount for a dependent child, $270, has no RPRF in it. IRCC's list says the RPRF does not apply to the dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor.

What the RPRF is, and when it is paid

IRCC describes the RPRF in plain terms. For most permanent residence applications, you need to pay the right of permanent residence fee when your application is approved, and you have to pay it before you can become a permanent resident. IRCC adds that you can pay it at the same time as your application fees to avoid delays. If an application is approved before the RPRF has been paid, IRCC says it will contact the applicant to explain how to pay.

That gives two practical routes, both described on the fee list:

Pay the processing fee and the RPRF together when you submit the application. The figure that includes the right of permanent residence fee is the amount you pay.
Pay the processing fee at submission and the RPRF later, once IRCC asks for it.

The list does not say that one route is faster or cheaper than the other overall. It says paying together helps avoid delays. The total cost is the same either way.

The RPRF does not apply to everyone. The fee list names these exceptions: the dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor, sponsorship applications for adopted children, sponsorship applications for an orphaned brother, sister, niece, nephew or grandchild, and protected persons, including applicants eligible on humanitarian and compassionate grounds and convention refugees. If your category is one of those, read the exact line for it rather than assuming the economic amounts apply.

The refund rule

The fee list contains one refund rule for permanent residence. In IRCC's words: "We will refund the RPRF if you withdraw or we refuse your application." The same page says the RPRF is the only fee that IRCC can refund after it starts processing your application.

Read that carefully. It means:

The $600 RPRF comes back if you withdraw, or if IRCC refuses the application.
The processing fee, the $990 for an adult in the economic block, is not described as refundable once processing has started.
The list's rule is about fees paid to IRCC. It says nothing about money you pay to others, such as a medical examiner, a language test centre, a credential assessment body or a representative.

If you paid the RPRF with your application and the application is refused, the refund rule applies to that $600. If you have not paid the RPRF yet, you pay it when the application is approved.

IRCC's fee pages also have a section called "How to get a refund". Read that page for the steps if you think you are owed money. Do not rely on a third party to arrange it for you.

Worked examples with the published figures

These examples only add up the published amounts. They do not say which program anyone should use, or whether anyone would qualify. All figures are the IRCC fee list for economic immigration, in Canadian dollars, as at 21 September 2026.

One adult, paying everything at submission. $1,590 (processing fee $990 plus RPRF $600).

A couple, both paying the RPRF. $1,590 for the principal applicant plus $1,590 for the spouse or partner is $3,180.

A couple with two dependent children. $3,180 for the two adults, plus $270 for each child ($540) is $3,720. The children do not pay the RPRF.

The same family if the RPRF is paid later. At submission: $990 + $990 + $540 = $2,520. When the application is approved, the two adults each pay $600, which is $1,200. The total is $3,720, the same as above.

Business immigration. The fee list has a separate block for Quebec business immigration, self-employed people and the Start-up Visa. It shows $2,495.00 with the RPRF and $1,895.00 without it for the principal applicant, $1,590.00 with and $990.00 without for a spouse or partner, and $270.00 per dependent child. The Start-up Visa program has its own status and rules, so check IRCC's program page before relying on this line.

Quebec-selected skilled workers. The list places them in the economic block, so the same amounts appear. Quebec selection itself is run by Quebec, not by IRCC, and Quebec's own steps and fees are on quebec.ca.

Costs that are not on the IRCC list

The IRCC fee list covers what you pay IRCC. Most permanent residence applications involve other costs that someone else sets. We do not quote amounts for these, because they vary by country and provider and are not IRCC fees:

Language tests. Express Entry-type applications involve an approved language test, paid to the test provider.
Educational credential assessments. Paid to the designated organization that assesses your credentials, when your program requires one.
Medical examinations. Paid to the approved panel physician.
Police certificates. Paid to the authority that issues them in each country you have lived in. Fees and timing differ widely.
Translations and certified copies of documents not in English or French.
Proof of funds. This is not a fee at all. It is money you must show you have for some programs. Our Express Entry proof of funds guide gives the IRCC table.
Provincial nominee program fees. These are set by each province and are in addition to the IRCC fees. Nova Scotia, for example, began charging an application fee on 1 September 2026; our guide to the Nova Scotia fees covers it.
A representative's fee. Using a representative is optional. A licensed consultant must give you a written consultation agreement stating the fee before starting work. Our consultant cost guide explains what a fee has to cover.

Budgeting only for the IRCC fees is the most common mistake. The government fees may be the smaller part of the total.

Paying correctly and avoiding problems

Match the line to your program. The fee list has different lines for economic, business, family sponsorship, humanitarian and protected-person applications. Two lines can look similar and differ by hundreds of dollars. Use the application guide for your program to confirm which one applies.

Pay IRCC's official channel only. The government fee is paid to IRCC through its payment system. Anyone who asks you to send the government fee to a personal account, a gift card or a cryptocurrency wallet is not following IRCC's process. If you are unsure whether someone is authorised to help you, our guide to checking an RCIC licence shows how to look them up on the College's register.

Keep the receipt. The receipt is your record of what you paid and when.

Re-read the list near the date you pay. The list shows a "date modified". If you have been saving for months, check it again before submitting.

Do not assume a refund. The only refund the permanent residence section describes after processing starts is the RPRF. If the application is refused, you cannot assume the processing fee returns.

Spouse and children are priced separately. A partner is charged as an applicant. A dependent child is $270. Check the application guide for who counts as a dependent child before you add up your family, because the age and status rules decide who pays which line.

Fees and eligibility are different questions. Paying a fee does not mean you qualify. Whether a person is eligible for a program is decided by the program rules and the officer, not by the fee.

If you want a regulated adviser to look at your own documents, the Migratio directory lists licensed Canadian immigration consultants (RCICs) and lawyers, with their College or law society details so you can check the register yourself. Migratio is a directory and booking service. It is not an immigration consultant and does not give advice on individual cases.

Questions people ask

How much does Canada PR cost in IRCC fees?

On the IRCC fee list dated 21 September 2026, an economic permanent residence application is $1,590 with the $600 right of permanent residence fee, or $990 without it. A spouse or partner included on the application is $1,590 or $990, and each dependent child is $270. Medical exams, language tests and other third-party costs are extra.

What is the RPRF?

The right of permanent residence fee is $600. IRCC says you pay it when your application is approved, before you become a permanent resident, and you may pay it with your application fees to avoid delays. It does not apply to dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor, among other exceptions listed on the fee list.

Is the RPRF refundable?

IRCC states that it will refund the RPRF if you withdraw or it refuses your application, and that the RPRF is the only fee it can refund after processing starts.

Do children pay the right of permanent residence fee?

No. The fee list says the RPRF does not apply to the dependent children of a principal applicant or sponsor. A dependent child on an economic application is $270.

Does the PR fee include the medical exam and language test?

No. The IRCC fee list covers government fees only. Medical exams, language tests, credential assessments, police certificates and translations are paid to other providers.

Are there extra fees for provincial nominees?

Provincial programs can charge their own fees in addition to IRCC's permanent residence fees. Each province publishes its own; check the province's official nominee program page.

Sources

IRCC fee list (date modified 2026-09-21) (read 2026-10-09)
IRCC: Express Entry (page for program steps) (read 2026-10-09)

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

Canadian Immigration Fees 2026: The IRCC List, Explained — The IRCC fee list (date modified 21 September 2026) sets the government fees for most applications: for example $100 for a visitor visa, $150 for a study permit, $155 for a work permit, $1,590 for an economic permanent residence application including the $600 right of permanent residence fee, and $653 for an adult citizenship application. Medical exams, language tests, police certificates and representative fees are not on it.
Express Entry Proof of Funds 2026: Amounts by Family Size — IRCC's settlement funds table (marked updated July 7, 2025, on a page dated 22 June 2026) runs from $15,263 for one person to $40,392 for seven, plus $4,112 for each person beyond seven. IRCC says Canadian Experience Class applicants and people authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer do not need to show proof of funds.
Nova Scotia Nominee Program Fees From 1 September 2026 — Nova Scotia charges an NSNP application fee from 1 September 2026: $1,000 for the worker streams and $2,000 for the entrepreneur stream, per principal applicant. There is no fee to submit an expression of interest. The fee is due after selection, and the province says it is non-refundable except where required by law or when an administrative error has occurred.
Immigration consultant fees in Canada: what you pay for and how it must be billed — There is no official fee scale: the College says "RCICs set their own fees," and they must be "fair and reasonable." What the rules do fix is the paperwork. The fee for a first consultation must be in a written agreement before it starts, the full job needs a written service agreement with a fee estimate, and money paid in advance must sit in a trust account until the work is done.
Express Entry explained: how the system and its three programs work — Express Entry is an online system IRCC uses to manage applications for permanent residence under three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You create a profile, candidates with the highest scores are invited in rounds, invited candidates apply, and an officer decides. This page explains the mechanics. It cannot tell you whether you are eligible.
Provincial Nominee Program explained: provincial streams and the two paths to PR — Under the Provincial Nominee Program, a province or territory nominates people it wants to settle, and IRCC handles the permanent residence application. IRCC describes two paths: an Express Entry path, where a nomination adds 600 points to a profile, and a non-Express Entry path. Each province sets its own streams and numbers, and Quebec and Nunavut have no program.
How to check an RCIC licence on the College's Public Register — Search the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca). Only people with an "Active" status and "Yes" in the "Entitled to Practise" column may legally give you immigration advice for a fee. Then contact them using the details on the register, not the ones in an ad or a message.