Canada announces higher residency and citizenship fees starting April 2026

The Canadian government has announced new application fees for permanent residency and citizenship, impacting Nigerians and other foreign nationals planning to move to the country.

According to an official notice issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the revised fees will come into effect on April 30, 2026.

The agency explained that the adjustments are part of regular updates designed to maintain efficient service delivery while keeping pace with inflation trends.

“Starting April 30, 2026, permanent resident application fees will increase as part of regular updates. Applications received on or after April 30 will be subject to the new fees,” it said.

IRCC revealed that while some permanent residency fees will see a slight increase starting at $25, citizenship application fees will increase by about 2.7 percent.

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A revised breakdown of permanent residence fees across various programs shows the following changes:

– Permanent Residency Fee – increased by $25, from $575 to $600
– Provincial Nomination Program – increased by $40, from $950 to $990
– Business Class – $85 increase, from $1,810 to $1,895
– Family Class – $25 increase, from $545 to $570
– Covered Persons – increased by $25, from $635 to $660
– Foundations of Humanity and Compassion or Public Policy – ​​increased by $25, from $635 to $660
– Permit Holders – increased by $15, from $375 to $390

Additionally, the Citizenship Rights Fee will increase from $119.75 to $123 starting March 31, 2026.

Providing further context, IRCC noted that this fee review is consistent with provisions in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which requires biannual adjustments to reflect program costs and increased demand for immigration services.