Canada: eight rule changes
Canada implemented eight immigration changes effective April 1, including higher passport and citizenship fees and more flexible Super Visa sponsor income rules — sponsors and family applicants should note the new fee and income thresholds that took effect April 1 (cicnews.com).
Ten- and five‑year Canadian passport fees were adjusted on March 31, 2026 — a 10‑year adult passport for applicants in Canada rose from CA$160 to CA$163.50 and a 5‑year adult passport rose from CA$120 to CA$122.50, with corresponding increases for abroad applicants and child passports listed on the IRCC fee page. (canada.ca) A new “30 business days or free” processing guarantee took effect April 1, 2026: complete passport or travel‑document applications not finalized within 30 business days will trigger an automatic full refund of the passport fee. (canada.ca) The Right of Citizenship fee was increased to CA$123 for applications received on or after March 31, 2026, while permanent‑residence fees — including the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) — are scheduled to rise on April 30, 2026 under IRCC’s two‑phase update. (canada.ca) IRCC’s April 30, 2026 permanent‑residence fee schedule shows the RPRF rising from CA$575 to CA$600 and processing fees for several economic streams increasing (for example, many principal‑applicant processing fees move from CA$950 to CA$990). (canada.ca) IRCC changed Super‑Visa income assessments effective March 31, 2026 to allow hosts and co‑signers to meet LICO by using either of the two taxation years preceding application, and to permit the visiting parent or grandparent’s own income to be combined with the host’s income under specified conditions. (canada.ca) IRCC‑related guidance and industry tables show the 2026 LICO/MNI thresholds that feed into Super‑Visa calculations (for example, 2026 minimum incomes reported include roughly CA$54,604 for a four‑person family and CA$46,720 for a three‑person family, varying by community size and method of calculation). (irccguide.com) IRCC also confirmed that passport fee calculations for mailed applications are based on the date IRCC receives the application (not the mailing date), and that applications received between March 31 and April 29, 2026 may be accepted under the old passport fee schedule during the transition window. (canada.ca) IRCC’s Super‑Visa documentation requirements continue to require proof of minimum necessary income via Canada Revenue Agency Notices of Assessment, and IRCC stated the March 31, 2026 assessment rules apply retroactively to applications already in processing as of that date. (canada.ca)
