Canada Unveils December 2025 Immigration Fee Revisions: Full Breakdown

(CANADA) Canada will raise a series of immigration fees on December 1, 2025, with new charges hitting people who need to fix status problems, deal with inadmissibility, or apply for the International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit. The revised immigration fees, announced as part of a regular review, will apply across the country and will affect temporary residents, some prospective permanent residents, and young foreign workers using IEC to live and work in Canada 🇨🇦.

What changes and who is affected

The new structure brings small but precise increases to several niche application types. The increases primarily affect:

• People dealing with inadmissibility (Authorization to Return to Canada, Temporary Resident Permit, Criminal Rehabilitation).
• Temporary residents (students, workers, visitors) who need to restore status.
• Young applicants through International Experience Canada (IEC).

These categories often include people in vulnerable positions — for example, students who fell out of status or travellers with past criminal records — so even modest dollar increases can meaningfully affect those applicants.

Fee changes (effective December 1, 2025)

The following table summarizes the fees that will change on December 1, 2025:

• These are the targeted increases announced in this round; they do not cover every immigration fee.

Context — recent fee increases and totals

These December 2025 adjustments follow earlier fee changes:

• On April 30, 2024, the Right of Permanent Residence Fee rose from $515 to $575.
• On March 31, 2025, the Right of Citizenship Fee increased from $100 to $119.75.

Other permanent residence fees have already increased in recent years:

• Processing fee for a principal applicant under Express Entry or most Provincial Nominee Program streams increased from $850 to $950.
  • With the $575 Right of Permanent Residence Fee added, the subtotal for many skilled worker applicants is now $1,525.
• Family sponsorship:
  • Sponsorship fee rose by $10 to $85.
  • Fee for an accompanying principal applicant rose by $55 to $545.
  • With the $575 Right of Permanent Residence Fee, a typical spouse or common‑law partner sponsorship now totals $1,205.

Rationale from officials

Officials say the higher charges are meant to keep pace with rising operational and processing costs as application volumes grow. Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes Canada uses periodic fee reviews to fund immigration services without shifting all the pressure onto general tax revenue.

The federal government’s position is that applicants — those who visit, work, study, settle, or regain status — should cover more of the direct costs for:

• Processing files
• Maintaining online systems
• Staffing visa offices inside and outside Canada

Critical timing and practical advice

Timing will be critical for applicants around the December 1, 2025 change.

IRCC has confirmed that online applications submitted before midnight on December 1, 2025, with full payment completed, will be charged the old fees.

Key points about timing and filing method:

1. If you can file and pay online before the cut-off, you will be charged the old fee.
2. Paper applications are more complicated:
   • Paper applications sent before the fee change but received after December 1 may require payment of the difference.
   • Mailing in late November does not guarantee the lower fee — if IRCC receives the envelope after Dec 1, officers may ask for extra payment before processing.
3. Restoration rule reminder:
   • Temporary residents (students, workers, visitors) generally must apply for restoration within 90 days of expiry.
   • If a restoration application is filed on or after December 1, 2025, the new, higher fees will apply, even if the original status expired earlier.

Practical steps applicants should follow

• Check the official fee list before sending any application or payment: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/index.asp
• If time-sensitive, prioritize online submission and immediate online payment to secure the old fee.
• For paper filings, consider courier tracking and confirm estimated delivery dates to IRCC to reduce the risk of being charged the new fee.
• Verify the correct fee prior to payment — incorrect payments can result in returned applications or processing delays.

Who will feel the impact most

Applicants most affected include three broad groups:

• People dealing with inadmissibility (Criminal Rehabilitation, Temporary Resident Permit, Authorization to Return to Canada).
• Temporary residents who let their status lapse and must pay restoration fees within the 90‑day grace period.
• Young people applying through International Experience Canada (working holiday participants, recent graduates, early-career professionals).

Even though each increase is modest, the cumulative effect and the context of other recent fee hikes make staying aware and planning ahead important for budgeting and timelines.

Broader implications

The government ties fee changes to a strategy to keep immigration services moving amid high demand, backlogs, and staffing pressures. The hope is that higher fees will help fund faster and more reliable processing through:

• Additional staffing
• Improved digital systems
• Support for global visa operations

However, stakeholders note that small price jumps can create extra barriers for people already facing legal or financial difficulties.

Final note and resource

Prospective applicants should rely on the official IRCC fee table for the most current amounts and updates. The authoritative source is: https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/fees/index.asp

• IRCC updates that page when fees change.
• Using outdated guides, third‑party blogs, or social posts risks sending the wrong amount and causing delays or returned applications.

Be mindful of deadlines, prefer online filing where possible, and confirm fees before paying to avoid unexpected extra charges.