Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) fee changes will be competitive with peer countries

Backgrounder

Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) fees have not increased for almost two decades. The modest fee increases are long overdue and will ensure that applicants pay a fee that more accurately represents the true costs involved in processing their applications and will reduce the burden on Canadian taxpayers.

At the same time, CIC will be reducing the fee for a multiple-entry visa from CAD $150 to CAD $100. The multiple-entry visa makes it easier and more convenient for eligible travellers to visit Canada more frequently.

As this chart indicates, the new TRV fees will be in line with those charged by peer countries, including the United States (U.S.A.), the United Kingdom (UK), New Zealand (NZ) and Australia (AU).

Temporary Resident Fees Comparison ^{Footnote 1}
Application Processing Fee	Canada^{Footnote 2} (Amended)	U.S.A.^{Footnote 3}	UK	AU	NZ
TRV – Single- or Multiple-entry	$100	$169 + issuance fee^{Footnote 3}	$137	$125	$142
Study Permit	$150	$169 + issuance fee^{Footnote 3} + SEVP fee^{Footnote 4}	$245	$516	$232
Work Permit	$155	$200 + issuance fee^{Footnote 3} + “L blanket” fee^{Footnote 5}	$342	$347	$232 paper or $198 online

All fees shown in CAD equivalent as of November 22, 2013

Footnotes

Footnote 1

This comparison table outlines, to the best of our knowledge, the processing fee by category for the members of the Five Country Conference. Each country has its own complex visa fee structure with products that vary from what is offered in Canada. The fees used for the comparison reflect a combination of multiple and single entries depending on the fee structure of the country and that most closely resemble the requirements for Canada.

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Footnote 2

The fee for biometrics has not been included in the new (amended) application fees for Canada. Currently, biometrics-required applicants only account for 20% of Canada’s total visa-required temporary resident application volume. These foreign nationals (from 29 countries and one territory) must pay an additional biometrics fee of $85. The UK and the U.S.A. require biometrics from all visa-required nationalities, while AU requires biometrics from applicants from 20 countries (with further expansion planned). For the UK, the U.S.A. and AU, any biometric costs are inclusive of the fee being charged. Visit CIC’s website for more information about biometrics.

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Footnote 3

U.S.A. visa issuance fees: In addition to the application fee for a visa, work permit or study permit, the U.S.A. may charge applicants a fee if they are from a country that charges a higher fee to U.S.A. nationals. The visa issuance fee is based on reciprocity.

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Footnote 4

U.S.A. Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) fees: The U.S.A. charges students up to an additional $200 USD to maintain the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, an Internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on non-immigrant students, exchange visitors, and their dependants for the Department of Homeland Security.

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Footnote 5

Other U.S.A. fees for “L blanket” applicants: The “L blanket” allows large multinational companies to receive approval to transfer their employees (intra-company transferees). To these applicants (the employees), the U.S.A. charges a fraud detection and prevention fee ($500 USD), and, in some cases, a Border Security Act fee ($2,250 USD).

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Date modified:: 2014-02-03

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Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) fee changes will be competitive with peer countries

Backgrounder

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