Canada PR Fees for Express Entry in 2025 and 2026: What You'll Actually Pay

One of the most common surprises in the Express Entry process is discovering that the IRCC government fee is only part of what you will spend. For Colombian applicants, the total out-of-pocket cost to reach permanent residency — from starting your WES evaluation to landing — typically runs between CAD 3,000 and CAD 4,500 per adult, depending on family size and whether you take the French exam route. Here is a precise breakdown.

Government Fees: What IRCC Charges

The core IRCC application fee for permanent residency through Express Entry has two components: the processing fee and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF).

For a single principal applicant (adult):

• Processing fee: CAD 1,050
• Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF): CAD 575
• Total for principal applicant: CAD 1,625

Note: The RPRF can be paid later in the process — after the application is approved in principle — but you can also pay it upfront. IRCC accepts both approaches.

For a couple applying together:

• Principal applicant processing + RPRF: CAD 1,625
• Spouse/partner processing + RPRF: CAD 1,625
• Total for a couple: CAD 3,250

For a family with two dependent children:

• Each dependent child under 22 years: CAD 175 processing (no RPRF for children)
• For two children: add CAD 350
• Total for a family of four: approximately CAD 3,600

These fees have been stable for the past two years. IRCC does revise fees periodically — if you are planning your application for late 2026, check the current fee schedule on Canada.ca before submitting, as fee adjustments typically take effect at the start of a fiscal year.

Biometrics Fee

Every Express Entry applicant must provide biometrics. For Colombians, this is done at the VFS Global Canada Visa Application Centre in Bogotá (EAR Tower, Office 203, Calle 99 #14-49). The fee is:

• Single applicant: CAD 85
• Family applying together (two or more members): CAD 170 (capped at this amount regardless of family size)

You pay the biometrics fee online when you receive your Biometric Instruction Letter (BIL), after submitting your e-APR. You then book your appointment at the Bogotá VAC.

Medical Examination Fee

Effective November 2025, Colombia was added to the IRCC list of countries where an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) is mandatory for permanent residence applicants. This is a recent policy change that adds a compulsory cost to every Colombian application.

The exam must be conducted by an IRCC-approved Panel Physician. Colombian costs vary by city:

• Bogotá (Panel Physicians: Dr. Rodolfo José Dennis, Dr. Jairo Roa Buitrago): approximately COP 598,071 for the base consultation
• Medellín (Clinica Las Vegas): comparable rate
• Cali (Fundación Clínica Valle del Lili): comparable rate

Additional costs for the IME include X-rays and laboratory blood tests (tuberculosis screening, etc.), which are typically billed separately. Budget COP 800,000 to 1,200,000 total per adult, depending on the tests required. At an approximate exchange rate of 3,000 COP/CAD, this is roughly CAD 270 to 400 per adult.

Medical results are sent directly from the Panel Physician to IRCC — you do not handle these documents yourself.

Pre-Application Costs: WES and Language Tests

These are not fees paid to IRCC, but they are mandatory prerequisites before you can complete your Express Entry profile.

World Education Services (WES) ECA:

• Basic evaluation fee: USD 240 (approximately CAD 330, COP 750,000)
• Some Colombian universities charge a fee to send official transcripts directly to WES (typically COP 50,000–200,000 depending on the institution)

IELTS General Training:

• British Council / IDP Colombia: approximately COP 1,045,700 (approximately CAD 350)
• Test centers: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga

TEF Canada or TCF Canada (if pursuing French strategy):

• TEF Canada: COP 1,200,000 – 1,400,000 (approximately CAD 430–470)
• TCF Canada: COP 1,150,000 – 1,350,000 (approximately CAD 385–450)

Document Authentication Costs

Colombian applicants typically need to apostille and translate several documents:

• Apostille (via the Cancillería digital portal): COP 50,000–120,000 per document, depending on the document type and processing speed
• Certified translations (Traductor Oficial): typically COP 80,000–150,000 per page

For a standard application, budget COP 600,000 to 1,200,000 for apostilles and certified translations of birth certificates, marriage certificates (if applicable), and degree certificates.

Complete Cost Estimate: Single Colombian Applicant

These figures do not include the settlement funds you must prove in your bank account. For a single applicant in 2025-2026, the settlement funds requirement is approximately CAD 15,263 — this money stays in your account (you do not spend it) but must be demonstrably liquid and available.

What Is Not Included in This Estimate

A few costs fall outside this framework:

• Police certificate fees: The Colombian national police (Policía Nacional) charges a nominal fee for the Antecedentes Judiciales certificate. The digital certificate is issued through the online portal, and the Cancillería apostille is a separate fee. For Colombians who have previously lived in the United States, an FBI Identity History Summary is also required — this involves fingerprinting in Colombia and mailing to the FBI, with a fee of approximately USD 18 plus any fingerprinting service cost.
• Immigration consultant or lawyer fees (if hired): RCIC representation in Colombia typically costs COP 5 million to 15 million depending on the complexity of the case. For most standard Express Entry profiles, self-guided applications are completely feasible.
• Travel costs for biometrics: If you are in Medellín, Cali, or another city, you will need to travel to Bogotá for biometrics at the VFS Canada VAC unless a satellite service is offered in your region.

When Do You Pay?

The payment timing through the process:

1. WES and language tests: Before creating your profile
2. Biometrics fee: After receiving your Biometric Instruction Letter (after submitting the e-APR)
3. IRCC processing fee: When you submit the e-APR (within the 60-day ITA window)
4. RPRF: Can be paid with the processing fee or after approval in principle
5. Medical exam: After receiving your ITA, typically done early in the 60-day window

The 60-day ITA window is fixed and non-extendable under almost all circumstances. Start collecting documents, scheduling the medical, and preparing translations before you receive your ITA — not after.

The Colombia to Canada Express Entry Guide includes a Colombian-specific cost planner, the Cancillería apostille process for each document type, and a day-by-day action plan for the 60-day post-ITA sprint.

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