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Spousal Sponsorship Cost in 2026: Every Government Fee and What Else to Budget For

On the IRCC fee list (modified 2026-09-21), sponsoring a spouse or partner costs $1,260 including the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it, plus $180 for each dependent child and biometrics of $85 per person (family maximum $170). Medical exams, police certificates, translations and any adviser fees are extra and set by others.

The first number most couples see is IRCC's single line for sponsoring a spouse. It is not the whole bill. Government fees come in a few parts, some are paid later, some are refundable and some are not, and several costs on the list belong to other people: doctors, police forces, translators and, if you use one, a licensed adviser.

This guide lists the IRCC amounts as they stand on the fee list, explains what each line covers and when it is paid, works through examples with simple addition, and sets out the costs IRCC does not set. It does not predict what any file will cost in total, and fees change, so check the live fee list before paying.

The government fees, line by line

These are the amounts on the IRCC fee list (date modified 2026-09-21), in Canadian dollars. The list shows combined totals and does not itemise a separate sponsorship fee, processing fee and right of permanent residence fee within the spouse and partner lines.

Spouse, partner or children, applications from outside Canada (the "family class" category):

  • Sponsor your spouse or partner: $1,260.00
  • Sponsor your spouse or partner without right of permanent residence fee: $660.00
  • Include any dependent child: $180.00 per child
  • Independently sponsor a dependent child: $180.00 per child

Spouse, partner or children, applications from inside Canada (the "in Canada" category): the same amounts.

  • Sponsor your spouse or partner: $1,260.00
  • Sponsor your spouse or partner without right of permanent residence fee: $660.00
  • Include any dependent child: $180.00 per child

The right of permanent residence fee (RPRF), listed on its own: $600.00. The difference between the two spouse lines is $600, which matches.

Biometrics:

  • Individual: $85.00
  • Family of two or more (maximum): $170.00

Two other lines couples often need, from the same list:

  • Work permit (including extensions), per person: $155.00
  • Open work permit holder: $100.00

Compare other lines on the list for orientation only: a study permit is $150.00 per person, a visitor visa is $100.00 per person, and a PR card is $50.00.

IRCC's guide (IMM 5289) says that the "Sponsor your spouse or partner" fee covers the sponsorship fee, the processing fee and the RPRF, that a version without RPRF is also listed, and that dependent children are charged a sponsorship fee and a processing fee per child but do not pay the RPRF. The guide also names one component figure in a refund scenario: "all processing fees except the sponsorship fee of $85." We quote the combined totals from the fee list because that is what the payment page uses.

What the RPRF is and when it is paid

The right of permanent residence fee is a fee for the status itself. IRCC's application page describes the structure: fees include processing fees for you, the people you are sponsoring and their dependants; the right of permanent residence fee, which must be paid before the people you are sponsoring become permanent residents; and, in most cases, a biometrics fee paid when you submit the application.

That is why the fee list carries two prices for the same application: $1,260 including the RPRF, and $660 without it. A couple who pays the lower amount at submission still owes the $600 later. IRCC says the RPRF is refundable if the application is withdrawn or refused. The IRCC fee list states: "We will refund the RPRF if you withdraw or we refuse your application," and describes the RPRF as the only fee refundable once processing has started. The guide says the RPRF is "refundable if you don't become a permanent resident."

Paying it up front means a larger payment at the start and a refund path if the application does not succeed. Paying it later means a smaller first payment and a later date for the bigger one. For comparison, IRCC's H&C guide says "We recommend you pay the right of permanent residence fee now to avoid delays" for that application type. We found no equivalent statement for sponsorship, so read the payment page and guide when you pay.

A refund also depends on what happened. IRCC's guide gives a scenario where a sponsor does not meet the requirements, withdraws and receives back "all processing fees except the sponsorship fee of $85." Read the guide's refund section for the situation at hand.

Worked examples (arithmetic only)

These add the fee list's own lines. They illustrate how the amounts combine. They are not quotes and do not say what any couple will pay.

Example 1: a spouse alone, RPRF included at submission. • Sponsor your spouse or partner: $1,260.00 • Biometrics, one person: $85.00 • Total government fees at submission: $1,345.00

Example 2: a spouse alone, RPRF paid later. • Sponsor your spouse or partner without RPRF: $660.00 • Biometrics, one person: $85.00 • Total at submission: $745.00 • RPRF still to pay before the person becomes a permanent resident: $600.00 • Combined, the same $1,345.00

Example 3: a spouse and one dependent child, RPRF included. • Sponsor your spouse or partner: $1,260.00 • Include any dependent child: $180.00 • Biometrics: $85.00 each for two people is $170.00, which equals the family maximum, so $170.00 • Total: $1,610.00

Example 4: a spouse and two dependent children. • $1,260.00 + $180.00 + $180.00 = $1,620.00 • Biometrics: three people at $85.00 would be $255.00, but the family maximum is $170.00 • Total: $1,790.00

Biometrics rules vary by person and location. IRCC's guide says Canadian citizens and existing permanent residents are exempt and that applicants inside Canada must provide biometrics, and the H&C guide mentions exemptions for some groups. Check which people in a given family must pay.

If the sponsored spouse also applies for an open work permit, add the lines in that section of the fee list. IRCC's work permit line is $155.00 and the open work permit holder line is $100.00. Our guide to the spousal open work permit covers who can apply.

Costs IRCC does not set

A set of costs sit outside the IRCC list. IRCC does not publish a figure for them, and we do not either, because they are set by third parties and vary by country, clinic and city.

  • Immigration medical exam. IRCC's guide says all family members who are not citizens or permanent residents must be examined, even if they are not coming to Canada, within 30 days of medical instructions being issued. The panel physician sets the fee.
  • Police certificates. Required for each country other than Canada where the applicant lived six or more months in a row after age 18. The issuing authority sets the fee, and some countries charge for courier or authentication.
  • Translations. Documents in other languages need translations and affidavits unless translated by a Canadian certified translator, per the guide. Translators price by page or by word.
  • Document certification and courier. Depends on the country of issue.
  • Photos. IRCC says each person needs one photo.
  • Quebec processing fee. IRCC says Quebec residents must not include Quebec's processing fee in the IRCC payment; it is paid to Quebec. Check Quebec's pages for the amount.
  • Travel. Costs of bringing the sponsored person to Canada once they become a permanent resident are the couple's own.

None of these is a "fee" in the IRCC sense, but they are real costs and often matter more than the headline number when the sponsored person lives in a country where certificates take time or cost more.

Finally, the sponsor has no IRCC fee for the undertaking itself. IRCC says that in most cases there is no income requirement to sponsor a spouse, partner or dependent child, though the sponsor commits to repay social assistance during the undertaking period (three years for a spouse).

If you use an adviser: what the rules say about fees

No one has to use a representative. IRCC's guide says a paid representative must be authorized and must complete the Use of a Representative form (IMM 5476). Adviser fees are agreed between the client and the adviser and are not in IRCC's list.

For a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC), the College's Code of Professional Conduct (SOR/2022-128) requires a written consultation agreement before the first consultation that states the fee (s.23). Advance payments for services go into a client account (s.32) and an invoice follows the service (s.33). Lawyers work under their law society's rules.

We do not publish a fee range for spousal sponsorship. Ranges found online are not from regulators and vary widely, and our rule is to quote only primary sources or our own data. The practical way to compare is to ask each adviser, in writing, for the scope of work, what is included (forms, document review, a cover letter, responding to requests from IRCC), what is not, and what happens to the fee if the application is refused or withdrawn. Our guide to immigration consultant fees sets out the questions.

If a quote leaves out government fees or third-party costs, ask whether the figure is the total.

IRCC says incomplete applications are rejected, and the fee list says the RPRF is the only fee refundable once processing has started.

Checking the number before you pay

Fees are published on the IRCC fee list; it was last modified on 2026-09-21 when we read it. A guide on a third-party website may be out of date. Before paying:

  • open the IRCC fee list and find the lines for your category (from outside Canada, or in Canada);
  • check whether the payment screen shows the line with or without the RPRF;
  • add biometrics for each person who must provide them, up to the family maximum;
  • keep the payment receipt, which IRCC says must be included with the application;
  • remember that an underpayment can cause problems. IRCC's rehabilitation guide says an underpayment means the application is returned and an overpayment is refunded. Check what applies to your application type.

Fee-related questions for a specific file, for example whether a family member needs biometrics or how a refund applies after a withdrawal, are for IRCC's help centre or a licensed adviser who can see the file.

Find a regulated adviser

Migratio's directory lists advisers who have signed up with us and who show "Entitled to Practise: Yes" on the live College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants register, or who are in good standing with a law society. Each listing links to the official register so you can confirm the licence yourself before booking. Migratio is a directory and booking platform; it is not an immigration consultant and does not give immigration advice.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse in Canada in 2026?

The IRCC fee list (modified 2026-09-21) shows $1,260 for sponsoring a spouse or partner including the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it, plus $180 for each dependent child and biometrics of $85 per person (family maximum $170).

What is the right of permanent residence fee?

A $600 fee for the status. IRCC lists it on its own and also bundled into the $1,260 spouse line. IRCC says it is paid before the sponsored person becomes a permanent resident, and the fee list says it is refunded if the person withdraws or the application is refused.

Are inland and outland spousal sponsorship fees different?

On the IRCC fee list the amounts are the same for both: $1,260 with the right of permanent residence fee, $660 without, and $180 per dependent child.

What costs are not included in the IRCC fees?

Medical exams, police certificates, translations, document certification, courier and any adviser fees are set by third parties. IRCC's guide requires medical exams and police certificates but does not set their prices.

Do I get a refund if my sponsorship is refused?

The IRCC fee list says it will refund the right of permanent residence fee if the person withdraws or the application is refused. It describes that as the only fee refundable once processing has started. Read the refund section of IRCC's guide for the situation at hand.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Spousal Sponsorship in Canada: Inland vs Outland, Eligibility and the Process — A Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is 18 or older and lives in Canada can sponsor a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or dependent child. Spouses and common-law partners can be sponsored in the 'in Canada' class (IRPR s.124) or the family class from outside; the choice depends on residence and status, and the appeal rights differ.
  • Spousal Open Work Permit in Canada: Who Qualifies in 2026 — There are two separate spousal open work permits. One is for the spouse of a skilled foreign worker, and since 21 January 2025 it depends on the worker's TEER category and on the worker's permit having at least 16 months left. The other is for a spouse already living in Canada who is being sponsored for permanent residence. Each costs $155 plus the $100 open work permit holder fee (IRCC fee list, 21 September 2026).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • "Free consultation" with an immigration consultant: what it covers — A no-charge call is allowed, but it is not the same thing as a paid advice consultation, and the price of that paid consultation must be written in a consultation agreement before it starts (Code s.23). If the consultation itself is genuinely at no charge, the agreement has to say so. IRCC warns about representatives who "advertise their services as free and later ask you to pay a fee."
  • Spousal Sponsorship Refused: How the 30-Day IAD Appeal Works — If IRCC refuses a permanent resident visa for a spouse, common-law or conjugal partner you sponsored, you as the sponsor can appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division. The IAD must receive your notice of appeal and the refusal within 30 days of you receiving the decision (IAD Rules r.16(a)).