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Canada Spouse Sponsorship Fees in 2026: What You Pay

Published by LovHQ · Content and source check: 15 October 2026. No individual author or professional reviewer is claimed.

For a federal Canadian spouse or partner sponsorship, IRCC currently lists CAD $1,260 when the right of permanent residence fee is paid with the application, or CAD $660 if that fee is deferred. That is not always the full amount a family will spend. Biometrics may be extra, each dependent child has a separate charge, Quebec has its own undertaking fee, and medical or document costs vary. This guide separates the current government charges from the expenses you need to price for your own case.

What this Canada sponsorship cost guide covers

People often search for “Canada spouse visa cost,” but a spouse or partner sponsored through this program applies for permanent residence. The figures below cover federal family sponsorship charges for a spouse or partner and accompanying dependent children. They do not price a visitor visa, work permit, other permanent-residence program, or an individual case.

IRCC's fee list was last modified on 21 September 2026. The figures here were checked against that list, the current application guide and Quebec's 2026 undertaking fee page on 15 October 2026. Fees can change. Use the live official sources linked below before paying, and follow the fee instructions attached to the actual application.

Current IRCC spouse sponsorship fees in Canadian dollars

For one sponsored spouse or partner, IRCC publishes two payment options. The full amount includes both the sponsorship and processing charges plus the right of permanent residence fee (RPRF). The lower amount leaves the RPRF for a later payment.

  • CAD $1,260 with the RPRF: the current federal fee for sponsoring a spouse or partner. The amount includes the sponsorship fee, processing fee and RPRF.
  • CAD $660 without the RPRF: the current sponsorship and processing charges for one spouse or partner. The separate RPRF is CAD $600.
  • CAD $180 per dependent child: IRCC lists this for each child included in the sponsorship. Dependent children do not pay the RPRF.

These are the fee amounts shown in IRCC's fee list and the detailed Guide 5289. Do not add the sponsorship charge twice: the listed $1,260 already combines the sponsorship, processing and RPRF items for the spouse or partner.

A simple federal fee calculation

For one spouse or partner, with no dependent children and no biometrics requirement, the federal fee is CAD $1,260 if the RPRF is paid up front. If you defer the RPRF, the first payment is CAD $660 and the remaining CAD $600 is due before the person becomes a permanent resident. The total federal fee remains CAD $1,260 either way.

If the principal applicant must also give biometrics, add CAD $85 for one person. In that example, the federal government charges total CAD $1,345: $1,260 plus $85. Paying the RPRF later changes the timing of the payments, not that total. IRCC recommends paying the RPRF with the application because paying it later may delay the process.

For a spouse and one dependent child included in the same case, the listed federal sponsorship and processing fees are $1,260 plus $180, or CAD $1,440 before biometrics. If two or more eligible family members need biometrics and apply at the same time and place, IRCC's family biometrics fee is capped at $170. That would make the example CAD $1,610 before Quebec charges or other personal expenses. Check whether each person needs biometrics rather than assuming everyone in the family does.

These examples are arithmetic using the current published fees, not a quote for a particular application. The people included, their biometrics requirements, the applicable application class and any provincial steps can change what a household should set aside.

Biometrics are a separate line item

IRCC's family sponsorship guide lists biometrics at CAD $85 per person or a maximum CAD $170 for a family of two or more eligible people applying at the same time and place. The fee covers collection of fingerprints and a digital photograph. The fee schedule does not mean every relative must provide biometrics. Follow the request and instructions for each applicant, and check IRCC's current biometrics guidance.

Budget biometrics separately from the $1,260 spouse or partner amount. If biometrics are not required for a particular person, do not add that person's individual fee. If several eligible relatives apply together, use IRCC's family cap rather than multiplying $85 without checking the official rule.

Quebec has a separate undertaking fee

A sponsor in Quebec may have a second payment after the federal application step. Quebec lists its 2026 fee to review an undertaking application as CAD $335 for the first person sponsored and $135 for each additional person. For example, one spouse plus one additional sponsored family member is $470 in Quebec undertaking fees. Quebec says these amounts are updated on 1 January each year and are separate from IRCC's federal payment.

Do not add the Quebec fee to every Canadian sponsorship budget. It applies to the Quebec process. IRCC tells sponsors to wait for its instruction before submitting the Quebec undertaking; sending it too early can mean Quebec will not process it. Quebec also states that its undertaking review fees are not refundable if the application is refused. Check the current Quebec undertaking instructions and fee page before making that separate payment.

Costs outside the federal fee total

The IRCC sponsorship amount is not an all-in relocation budget. Depending on the country and the family, separate costs can include a medical examination, police certificates, translations, certified copies, photographs, courier or printing costs, travel to an appointment, and any optional professional assistance. IRCC's application page specifically notes that medical exams and police certificates may involve third-party fees. Their prices are not one standard federal amount.

Keep those costs in a separate column rather than folding them into the government's fee total. Ask the relevant clinic or authority for its current price. A document cost quoted in one country may not apply to the applicant's country, and an appointment may require travel. Do not treat a forum total or another couple's receipt as a current quote.

Payment timing and avoiding a returned application

IRCC's current application steps say the principal applicant submits the sponsorship and permanent-residence applications together through the Permanent Residence Portal. The fee receipt is included with the online application. The detailed guide says an application with insufficient fees can be returned without processing, so calculate the amount from the current IRCC table and the people included before submitting.

You can choose to pay the RPRF with the application or later. If you choose the later option, record that CAD $600 as a future required payment, not as a saving. IRCC says the RPRF must be paid before the person can become a permanent resident. If the principal application is approved before it is paid, IRCC will contact the applicant with instructions. Paying it with the application may avoid a later delay.

Keep the official receipt and check that the payment currency and selected fee category match the instructions. If a fee page or portal changes, use the amount shown in the current application flow rather than copying this article into a payment form.

A practical way to build your own estimate

  1. Count the people in the application. Start with the sponsored spouse or partner, then list each dependent child who will be included. Check the official definition and application guide rather than assuming a relative belongs in the same fee category.
  2. Choose the RPRF timing. Use $1,260 for one spouse or partner when it is paid with the application, or $660 now plus $600 before permanent residence if you defer it.
  3. Check biometrics person by person. Add $85 for an eligible individual or the $170 family cap where two or more eligible family members apply together at the same time and place.
  4. Check the address and provincial steps. If the sponsor lives in Quebec, keep the separate undertaking fee and its timing on a different line.
  5. Price documents and appointments locally. Contact the relevant exam provider, records authority and translator for costs that are not set by IRCC.
  6. Recheck official pages before payment. Write down the date and page used. A past estimate is useful for planning only, not proof of today's fee.

For the difference between Canada's spouse, common-law and conjugal categories, see LovHQ's Canada partner sponsorship category guide. Use the official category and application instructions to identify the process that applies. LovHQ's Visa Preparation Checklist is only a general planning prompt, not an IRCC document checklist or an eligibility test.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Canada spouse sponsorship fee in 2026?

IRCC lists CAD $1,260 for sponsoring a spouse or partner when the right of permanent residence fee is included, or CAD $660 without that fee. Biometrics, dependent children, Quebec fees and personal document costs may add to the total.

Is CAD $1,260 the total cost of a Canadian spouse sponsorship?

No. It is the listed federal sponsorship and processing charge for one spouse or partner with the right of permanent residence fee. Biometrics may be extra, and medical exams, police certificates, translations, travel and any Quebec undertaking fee are separate.

Can I pay the right of permanent residence fee later?

IRCC lets applicants pay the CAD $600 right of permanent residence fee later, before the person becomes a permanent resident. The initial spouse or partner charge is then CAD $660. IRCC recommends paying the fee with the application to avoid possible delay.

How much does it cost to sponsor a spouse and one dependent child?

The current federal fees are CAD $1,260 for the spouse or partner and CAD $180 for each dependent child, or CAD $1,440 before any applicable biometrics, Quebec undertaking fee or other personal costs.

What extra sponsorship fees apply in Quebec?

For a Quebec undertaking application in 2026, Quebec lists CAD $335 for the person sponsored and CAD $135 for each additional person. This provincial fee is separate from IRCC's federal fees. Follow IRCC's instruction about when to submit the Quebec undertaking.

Does the sponsorship fee include medical exams and document costs?

No. IRCC's sponsorship fee does not include medical examinations, police certificates, translations, courier or appointment travel. Those amounts depend on the applicant's country and circumstances.

Official sources checked for this guide

Source-check date: 15 October 2026. Fee schedules and application instructions can change. Confirm the amount and payment sequence on current IRCC and Quebec pages before paying. This guide is general information only, not legal or immigration advice.

For more practical planning, browse all LovHQ guides or use the free relationship-planning tools.