Paying Immigration Fees in Canada

Whether you are applying for citizenship, a visa, permanent residency, or submitting another type of application, paying immigration fees is part of the process. Paying immigration fees in Canada allows the government to pay for the process of verifying information on your applications.

How do I Pay?

The Canadian government has a website where you can check payment methods to ensure you are submitting your fees correctly. There is also a website where you can check current fees to ensure you are submitting the correct amount. It is important to pay the correct amount when you apply. Immigration fees in Canada change periodically.

How you pay will depend on how you choose to apply. If you are applying online, you will pay at the end of the application process. Simply follow the instructions online to make your payment. If you are submitting a paper application, you will first need to pay. Once you have paid, you will get a receipt for payment and you will need to include a printout of this receipt when you submit your paper application.

When you submit payment for a paper application, you can use prepaid cards or credit cards from Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, JCB®, or UnionPay®. If you are using a prepaid card, keep it so you can get a refund if you need it. You can also use debit cards if you do online banking and can send an INTERAC®Online payment from your Canadian bank.

If you find you have paid too little, you may be able to pay what you owe online. If you are able to do this, make sure you submit receipts for both payments with your application. If find you cannot pay the difference online, you will need to seek a refund and pay the proper amount.

Getting a Refund on Immigration Fees in Canada

Once you have made a payment for immigration in Canada, you can get a refund if your application remains unprocessed. You may request a refund if you are withdrawing your application or if you submitted an application fee but did not submit the application you paid for. You can also get a refund if you overpaid, although eTA application fees are not refundable.

If you have submitted a right of citizenship fee, a right of permanent residence fee, an open work permit fee for LMIA exempt workers, an International Experience Canada (IEC) fee, or an employer compliance fee, you will not have to ask for a refund. All or some of your money will be refunded automatically if you withdraw your application or if your application is refused. For applications other than these, you cannot get a refund if your application was proceed but denied.

For most immigration process fee refunds, you will need to request a refund. The process for this will depend on how you paid. You will need to provide some basic information and the government may contact you if they need further information (such as proof of payment) to process the refund. Your refund may take up to six weeks.

How you apply for a refund will depend on how you paid your application fee. If you paid online, you will need the receipt number you received when you paid. You will also need to create an account separate from the account you used to apply. You will use this new account to request a refund.

If you applied and paid on paper, use the account you used for the application process. Sign in and follow the links to request a refund.

Do You Need to File an Immigration Form in Canada?

Whether you are applying for permanent residency, a visa, citizenship, or making another immigration application in Canada, you will need to pay fees. Immigration Direct has resources to help you, including full resources for Express Entry and other programs, containing the latest forms and fee information. We help you get current, reliable information in an easy-to-understand format and our free blog helps you stay up to date with news and helpful tips, too.