Canada Unveils New Fees for Immigration Applications This Year

(CANADA) Canada will increase a wide range of immigration application fees on December 1, 2025, in changes that hit Work Permit holders, applicants with Inadmissibility issues, and youth using the International Experience Canada program. The move marks the third major fee adjustment this year and raises new cost questions for people planning both temporary and permanent stays.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that the latest increase focuses mainly on temporary residence, including IEC work permits, standard work permits, and several applications tied to previous removals or criminality. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the December change comes on top of earlier hikes to permanent residence fees in April 2024 and citizenship fees in April 2025, steadily driving up the overall cost of Canadian immigration.

International Experience Canada (IEC) — youth and short-term work

• The IEC work permit processing fee will rise from $179.75 to $184.75 for any application submitted on or after December 1, 2025.
• IRCC has said applicants who manage to pay the old fee before midnight at the start of that date will not be asked for the extra $5.00.
• Those who submit an IEC Work Permit application even minutes after the deadline will face the higher amount — a detail that could matter for groups of backpackers and graduates timing payments from overseas.

Inadmissibility, restoration, and criminal rehabilitation

From December 1, 2025, several fees related to inadmissibility and restoration change significantly:

• Restoration of status for temporary residents (including students and workers): $246.25.
• Temporary resident permit (issued for compelling reasons): $246.25.
• For people previously removed from Canada hoping to return: $492.50.
• Criminal rehabilitation for serious offences: $1,231.00 — one of the most expensive individual applications in the system.

These increases particularly affect those trying to re-establish legal status after removal or lapses in authorized stay.

Standard temporary residence and work permit fees

IRCC also adjusted standard temporary residence charges effective December 1, 2025:

• Work permit (including extensions) for a single person: $155.00.
• Group work permit for three or more performing artists: $155.00.

This means touring bands or dance companies can pool costs, but individual performers applying alone pay the same basic work permit charge.

Permanent residence fee structure (April 30, 2024 increases)

Permanent residence fees were last raised on April 30, 2024. Summary of key amounts for economic streams (Express Entry, PNP, Federal Skilled Worker, Quebec Skilled Worker, Atlantic Immigration, Rural and Northern, Agri‑Food Pilot):

• These increases affect principal applicants and accompanying family members across multiple programs.

Citizenship fee changes (April 1, 2025)

• Processing fee: $530.
• Right of citizenship fee: $119.75.
• Combined cost: $649.75, up from $630.

IRCC warns that applicants who submit complete packages before an increase but whose files are received after a new fee takes effect may be asked to pay the difference — a rule that has surprised some couriers and representatives.

How to pay and timing considerations

• Payments must be made through IRCC’s online system using the option “Make an additional payment or pay other fees”, accessible via the main fee page on the official IRCC website.
• Officials say this is intended to keep applications from being returned as incomplete, which would lengthen processing times for Work Permit holders, students, families, and employers already facing long queues.
• Applicants are urged to double-check the latest amounts on IRCC’s fee pages and receipts before submitting, rather than relying on older guides, printouts, or informal advice.

Applicants who have already submitted forms but worry they underpaid can use IRCC’s online payment tool to send the balance and attach the new receipt to their file, either electronically or through their representative, to avoid refusal for incorrect fees.

Impact, concerns, and broader context

• IRCC says adjustments reflect administrative costs and are meant to support timely processing.
• Advocates warn that higher prices can push people toward risky shortcuts, especially those facing inadmissibility hearings or trying to restore status after losing a job or missing a deadline.
• Some immigration lawyers report clients sometimes choose to remain without status instead of paying restoration fees or a Temporary resident permit they cannot afford. That choice leaves people vulnerable to exploitation at work and hesitant to report abuse.
• Workers in lower-wage sectors (care, hospitality, agriculture) are particularly exposed, since even a standard $155.00 work permit fee can feel steep after adding:
  • medical exams,
  • biometrics,
  • document translation,
  • unpaid days off for appointments.

Observers note Canada 🇨🇦 still compares favourably with some other destinations on overall immigration charges, but repeated increases in a short period can erode that advantage for students and early-career professionals. IRCC has not linked the December 2025 adjustments to new services or faster timelines, instead citing the need for regular updates to cover operational costs and maintain existing processing standards.

Practical advice for applicants and employers

1. Verify current fees on IRCC’s official fee page before paying.
2. Pay any outstanding balance through “Make an additional payment or pay other fees” if you suspect you underpaid.
3. Keep receipts and attach them to your file electronically or via your representative to avoid refusal.
4. Budget for total costs, including ancillary expenses (medicals, biometrics, translations, travel, lost wages).
5. Seek legal advice if restoration, inadmissibility, or criminal rehabilitation issues apply — the costs and stakes are high.

These fee changes may reshape the real cost of migration — applicants and employers should plan and budget carefully to avoid unexpected shortfalls or refusals.