IRCC Minister Transition Binder 2019: IRCC Fees
Background
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) collects fees for immigration applications (both temporary and permanent), biometrics, citizenship grants, and passports.
- In 2018-2019, IRCC collected revenue totaling over $1.3B on behalf of the Government of Canada from more than 70 user fees. A large portion of these revenues come from fees related to temporary residence and passports.
| Program | 2018-2019 revenue | Percentage of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | $114,000,000 | 9% |
| Passport | $367,000,000 | 28% |
| Permanent residence | $285,000,000 | 21% |
| Temporary residence | $477,000,000 | 36% |
| Other (including biometrics) | $90,000,000 | 7% |
| Total | $1,333,000,000 | 100% |
Revenue and Funding Mechanisms
- Revenues generated from most fees (except for Passport and International Experience Canada) are deposited in the Consolidated Revenue Fund – the centralized account for all Government of Canada monies.
Cost Recovery Monitoring
- IRCC maintains internationally competitive fees while striking a right balance of cost recovery by monitoring costs associated with service delivery (e.g., program processing and management, internal services, and delivery partner costs).
Did you know
- The fees collected by IRCC represent approximately 50% of all fee revenue collected by the Government of Canada.
- However, that fee revenue is not directly available for IRCC to use for program delivery, except for the Passport and International Experience Canada programs.
What are IRCC’s Fees?
IRCC’s 70+ user fees consist of service fees for processing applications, and regulatory fees that are charged to an applicant once their application is approved.
Service Fees
- Citizenship service fees
- 8 fees
- Other service fees
- 11 fees
- Passport Program fees
- 25 fees
- Permanent residence fees
- 9 fees
- Temporary residence fees
- 13 fees
Regulatory Charges
- Right of citizenship
- Right of permanent residence
- Open work permit (International Mobility Program)
- Employer Compliance Fee
Fee Tables
- Fee amounts vary based on applicant type (adult, minor, principal applicant, dependant, etc.).
- 50% of permanent resident cards are issued at no charge to the client (new cards only)
| Class/document | Fee(s) |
|---|---|
| Electronic Travel Authorization | $7 |
| Temporary resident visa | $100 |
| Employer compliance inspections | $230 |
| Open work permit | $100 |
| Work permit | $155 |
| Study permit | $150 |
| Class/document | Fee(s) |
|---|---|
| Right of permanent residence fee | $490 |
| Family class | $475; $550; $75 |
| Skilled workers | $550 |
| Business class | $1,050; $550; $150 |
| Permit holder class | $325 |
| Other classes | $550; $550; $150 |
| Permanent resident card | $50 |
| Permanent travel document | $50 |
| Class/document | Fee(s) |
|---|---|
| Right of citizenship | $100 |
| Grant | $530; $100 |
| Resumption | $530 |
| Proofs | $75 |
| Records search | $75 |
| Class/document | Fee(s) |
|---|---|
| Passport – Domestic | $57; $95; $135 |
| Passport – Abroad | $100; $165; $235 |
| Administrative services | $45 |
| Certificate of identity | $95 |
| Other services abroad | $30; $50; $110 |
| Official travel | $90; $225 |
How Fees Are Set
Fee setting follows a rigorous process that requires business and policy rationale, and regulatory amendments.
New fees were last introduced in 2015 for open work permits, employer compliance, and Electronic Travel Authorizations.
The authority to set fees is split between the Minister of IRCC and the President of the Treasury Board:
Minister of IRCC
Legislative Authorities: Immigration and Refugees Protection Act; the Citizenship Act
- Permanent residence services
- Temporary residence
- Citizenship services
- Other immigration fees (e.g., biometrics; fees to address inadmissibility)
President of the Treasury Board
Legislative Authority: the Financial Administration Act
- Passport fees
- International Experience Canada participation fee
- Right of citizenship fee
- Right of permanent residence fee
When Can Fees Be Waived?
- The Minister of IRCC has the authority to waive some fees to clients in exceptional situations (e.g., natural disaster or on humanitarian and compassionate grounds).
- Fee waivers must be enacted through a public policy.
- When Ministerial authority is not available in IRCC’s legislation (i.e., for fees other than temporary residence), fee waiving authority must be sought through a Remission Order submission, which is subject to the approval of the President of the Treasury Board under the Financial Administration Act.
Current Status
- The new Service Fees Act, which received Royal Assent in June 2017, has introduced several requirements for all fees collected by the Government of Canada.
- Automatic annual fee increase by inflation
- Requirement to refund fee payers if the Department fails to process their application within established service standards.
- New Annual Report to Parliament on Fees to report on all Departmental service fees and compliance with the Act
- Only certain IRCC fees are impacted; most IRCC fees are exempted from the Act’s requirements through legislative exemptions sought under the previous User Fees Act.
Key Takeaways
- While IRCC is a major contributor of fee revenue for the Government, most fee revenue is not directly available for IRCC to spend on improving programs and services.
- The Minister of IRCC and the President of the Treasury Board share fee setting authorities through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Citizenship Act, and the Financial Administration Act.
- Fees can be waived by the Minister in exceptional circumstances by creating a temporary public policy or by seeking authority through a Remission Order submission.
- The Service Fees Act has introduced new requirements that will change IRCC’s fee landscape in the coming months. This will involve increased reporting requirements as well as requiring that IRCC refund clients whose applications are not processed within service standards.
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