Aspiring immigrants aiming to settle in Canada permanently will need to budget for higher fees, as announced by the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
According to reports, the Canadian government revealed a significant increase in the 'right of permanent residence fee' in a gazette notification issued on March 30. Starting April 30, 2024, the fee for obtaining permanent residency will climb from the current CAD 515 to CAD 575, marking a notable rise of around 12 percent.
Quoting the IRCC's notice, News 18 stated, "The permanent residency (PR) fees will increase at 9:00:00 a.m. Eastern daylight time on April 30, 2024, by the cumulative percentage increase to the Consumer Price Index for Canada, published by Statistics Canada, for the two previous years, rounded to the nearest five dollars."
Securing permanent residency in Canada is akin to obtaining a green card in the United States, paving the way for potential Canadian citizenship. This specific fee is payable upon application for permanent residence status.
However, to ease the burden on families, Canada has waived this fee for dependent children accompanying applicants seeking permanent residency.
The fee hikes extend beyond permanent residency applications, with Canada also raising costs for various other immigration streams. Applications for Federal Skilled Workers, Provincial Nominee Program, Quebec Skilled Workers, Atlantic Immigration Class, and most economic pilots (Rural, Agri-Food), as well as their spouses or common-law partners, will now face an increase from CAD 850 to CAD 950. The fee for accompanying a dependent child has also been raised from CAD 230 to CAD 260.
Similarly, fees for the Live-in Caregiver Program, caregiver pilots (Home Child Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot), and their spouses or common-law partners have been increased from CAD 570 to CAD 635, while the fee for accompanying a dependent child has risen from CAD 155 to CAD 175.
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