Sponsors who intend to settle in Quebec are subject to both the federal IRCC fees described above and a separate provincial fee paid to the Ministere de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Integration (MIFI) for the provincial undertaking review.

The total cost of sponsoring a spouse to Canada in 2026 depends on three layers of expense: government fees paid to IRCC, third-party costs paid to service providers, and, if you choose to work with a professional, immigration consulting or legal fees. Government fees are fixed and non-negotiable. Third-party costs vary by country and circumstance. Professional fees are optional.

This guide breaks down every cost category, explains exactly which fees are refundable and under what conditions, and gives you realistic budget estimates for different family situations.

Government Fees: The Complete Breakdown

All government fees are paid to IRCC in Canadian dollars online through the official IRCC fee payment system. A payment receipt must be included with the application. IRCC does not accept cheques, money orders, or in-person payments for spousal sponsorship applications.

Understanding Each Fee

Sponsorship Application Fee: $85

This fee covers IRCC’s cost of processing the sponsor’s eligibility assessment. It is non-refundable at every stage of the process, including if the application is returned at the completeness check before IRCC opens the file. Once you submit and pay this fee, it is gone regardless of outcome.

Principal Applicant Processing Fee: $545

Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): $575

The RPRF is the fee paid for the right to become a permanent resident of Canada. It is the only government fee with a genuine refund option: if your application is refused at any stage, or if you withdraw the application before a visa is issued, the RPRF is refunded. IRCC recommends paying the RPRF upfront at submission rather than deferring it, because deferring can cause delays at the final approval stage when IRCC must wait for payment before issuing the visa.

Dependent children do not pay the RPRF. This applies to all dependent children included in the application, whether they are accompanying to Canada or not.

If you choose to defer the RPRF, you pay $715 at submission ($85 + $545 + $85 biometrics) and the $575 RPRF is due before permanent residence is finalized. IRCC will contact you with payment instructions at that stage.

Biometrics: $85 Per Person

Biometrics cover the cost of fingerprint and photograph collection at a designated Visa Application Centre. The fee applies to all applicants and dependants aged 14 to 79. Children under 14 are exempt. The biometrics fee is non-refundable once IRCC has opened the file.

Biometrics collected for prior temporary resident applications such as visitor visas or work permits are not transferable to a permanent residence file. Sponsored persons must pay the biometrics fee and attend a collection site for their permanent residence application regardless of how recently they provided biometrics for another purpose.

Dependent Child Fees: $175 Per Child

Each dependent child added to the sponsorship application pays a processing fee of $175 CAD. Dependent children do not pay the RPRF. Children aged 14 to 79 also pay the $85 biometrics fee. Children under 14 are exempt from biometrics. Every dependent child, including those who will not be accompanying the sponsored person to Canada, must be included in the application and will require a medical examination.

Government Fee Totals by Family Situation

These figures represent government fees only, before third-party costs. Verify all amounts at canada.ca before submitting.

What Happens to Your Fees If Things Go Wrong

Understanding the refund policy before you submit protects you from a painful financial surprise if your application hits a problem.

If the application is returned at the completeness check: IRCC returns applications that fail the R-10 check before opening the file. In this scenario, you may receive a refund of the processing fee ($545) and the RPRF ($575) if those were paid, but the sponsorship fee ($85) and biometrics fee ($85) are not refunded. Do not rely on this: the safest assumption is that any fee paid toward a submitted application is at risk if the application is returned. Submit correctly the first time.

If IRCC finds you ineligible as a sponsor: If you indicated on the application that you wanted to withdraw if found ineligible, IRCC refunds the principal applicant processing fee ($545) and the RPRF ($575). The sponsorship fee ($85) is not refunded. No decision is made on the sponsored person’s permanent residence application.

If the application is refused: The RPRF ($575) is refundable. All other fees are not. You must submit a refund request. The process takes up to eight weeks. Keep records of all payment confirmation emails throughout the process.

If you withdraw the application voluntarily before a visa is issued: The RPRF is refundable if the sponsored person has not yet received permanent resident status. Submit a withdrawal request in writing through the IRCC webform before any final decision is made.

The financial cost of a returned application: If your application is returned because of a missing document or unsigned form, you lose the non-refundable fees you paid, wait two to three months while resubmitting, then pay the non-refundable fees a second time. A $30 investment in a thorough pre-submission review protects you from paying $715 twice.

The RPRF Deferral Option: When It Makes Sense

IRCC allows applicants to defer the RPRF and pay it at the final stage of processing rather than at submission. Deferring reduces the upfront payment from $1,290 to $715 for a couple with no dependants. The $575 RPRF is then due before permanent residence is finalized.

The deferral option is genuinely useful for applicants who need to manage cash flow during a 15 to 24 month processing period. It is not free: IRCC’s official guidance states that deferring the RPRF may cause delays at the final approval stage while IRCC waits for payment. In practice, having the RPRF already on file allows IRCC to move directly to issuing the visa or COPR without an additional payment step.

If cash flow is not a constraint, paying the RPRF upfront removes one variable from the final approval process. If cash flow is tight, the deferral is a legitimate option that IRCC specifically provides for this reason.

Quebec Sponsors: Additional Provincial Fees

Effective January 1, 2026, MIFI charges $335 CAD for the primary sponsored person (the spouse) and $135 CAD for each additional dependant included in the undertaking application. These fees are paid directly to MIFI, not to IRCC, and are not included in the IRCC payment. They are non-refundable even if the undertaking application is refused.

Quebec intake pause still in effect: MIFI has not been accepting new undertaking applications for spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children aged 18 or older since July 9, 2025, and this pause continues until June 25, 2026. Paying federal IRCC fees while MIFI’s intake is closed does not secure a place in the provincial queue. Confirm current MIFI intake status at immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca before paying any fees.

Third-Party Costs: What to Budget Beyond Government Fees

Government fees are only part of the total cost of a spousal sponsorship application. Third-party costs vary by country, provider, and individual circumstances, but every applicant will incur at least some of them.

For a couple with no dependants applying from a country with average costs, a realistic total budget including government fees and third-party costs but excluding professional fees runs approximately $1,600 to $2,200 CAD. With professional representation, the total typically falls between $5,000 and $9,000 CAD.

No Minimum Income Requirement: What This Actually Means for Costs

Unlike the Parents and Grandparents Program, spousal sponsorship carries no minimum income threshold. You do not need to earn a specific amount per year to sponsor your spouse.

What you do sign, however, is a three-year undertaking committing to provide for your sponsored partner’s essential needs. If your partner receives social assistance during that period, you are legally required to repay those amounts to the provincial government. This is not a fee paid upfront, but it is a real financial obligation that extends beyond the application itself.

The one exception to the no-income rule: if the sponsored person has a dependent child who also has dependent children of their own, a minimum income calculation applies. This is unusual but worth checking before submitting the financial forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay IRCC fees in instalments?

No. IRCC requires full payment at submission. You cannot split payments across sessions or defer any fee except the RPRF ($575), which IRCC specifically allows to be paid later in the process. If cash flow is a concern, paying $715 upfront and deferring the $575 RPRF is the only built-in flexibility IRCC provides.

If my application is refused, what fees do I get back?

The RPRF ($575) is refundable if the application is refused before a visa is issued. The sponsorship fee ($85), principal applicant processing fee ($545), and biometrics fee ($85) are not refunded. Submit a refund request through your IRCC secure account or by contacting IRCC directly. The process takes up to eight weeks.

Do I pay biometrics again if my spouse provided them recently for a visa?

Yes. Biometrics collected for a temporary resident application such as a visitor visa or work permit are not transferable to a permanent residence file. Your spouse must pay the $85 biometrics fee and attend a collection site again for the spousal sponsorship application, regardless of when biometrics were previously provided.

How much do I pay upfront if I defer the RPRF?

If you defer the RPRF, you pay $715 at submission for a couple with no dependants: $85 sponsorship + $545 processing + $85 biometrics. The $575 RPRF is then due before permanent residence is finalized. IRCC will contact you with payment instructions at that stage. Deferring may slow the final approval step, so paying upfront is recommended where financially feasible.

I am a Quebec sponsor. Do I pay the MIFI fees at the same time as the IRCC fees?

No. MIFI fees are paid separately, in a separate process, at a different stage. Federal IRCC fees are paid at application submission. The MIFI undertaking application and its fees are only submitted after IRCC has approved the sponsor’s eligibility and instructed you to proceed with the provincial undertaking. Do not send MIFI fees to IRCC or include them in your IRCC application package.

Are there any fee waivers for spousal sponsorship?

IRCC occasionally introduces temporary public policies that waive fees for specific groups in exceptional circumstances, such as humanitarian crises. These are situation-specific and not generally applicable. No standing fee waiver exists for spousal sponsorship in 2026. Check canada.ca for any active public policies that may apply to your specific situation.