How Much Does Spousal Sponsorship Cost in Canada? 2026 Fee Breakdown

Before you start preparing the application, it's worth knowing exactly what the financial commitment looks like. Spousal sponsorship involves multiple fee categories — federal government fees, potentially provincial fees (for Quebec sponsors), and third-party costs like medical exams and translations. Here is the complete 2026 picture.

Federal Government Fees: $1,345 CAD for a Couple Without Children

The aggregate IRCC fee for sponsoring a spouse or partner with no dependent children is $1,345 CAD in 2026. This breaks down as follows:

IRCC aggregates the sponsorship fee, processing fee, and RPRF into a single payment of approximately $1,260 CAD in most cases, paid online and uploaded to the portal as a receipt.

If there are dependent children being included in the application, add $180 per child for processing.

The Right of Permanent Residence Fee

The RPRF ($575 CAD) deserves specific attention because it differs from the other fees: it is fully refundable if the application is refused or voluntarily withdrawn before a decision is made.

This does not mean you should treat it as optional — it must be paid upfront as part of the application. But it does mean that in the event of a refusal, you get the $575 back. The sponsorship application fee ($150) and the processing fee are not refunded.

Some couples apply for Outland processing precisely because a refusal still returns the RPRF and preserves their IAD appeal rights — versus an Inland refusal where they lose the processing fees and face costly Federal Court proceedings with no new evidence option.

Quebec Sponsors: Add Provincial Fees

Sponsors residing in Quebec face an additional processing layer through the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI). After IRCC reviews the federal portion, Quebec must separately issue a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) before permanent residence can be granted.

Provincial undertaking fees for Quebec:

• Principal applicant: $328 CAD
• Each accompanying dependent child: $132 CAD

This is a MIFI fee, separate from and in addition to the IRCC federal fees. Quebec sponsors should budget for both.

Third-Party Costs You Must Also Budget For

The government fees are only part of the total cost. Most applicants also face:

Immigration Medical Examination (IME): All principal applicants must see an IRCC-approved Panel Physician. Panel physician fees vary by clinic and by the applicant's age: approximately $150–$220 CAD for adults. This exam must be done by a physician on IRCC's approved list — not your family doctor.

Document translation: Any civil document not in English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation from a recognized translator. For applications involving partners from India, China, the Philippines, or other countries with non-English civil documents, this can add several hundred dollars in translation costs depending on the volume of documents.

Police certificates: Required from every country your partner has lived in for 6+ consecutive months since age 18. Most countries charge nominal fees, but some require applications to specific government bodies, and some processing takes weeks. Factor this into your timeline.

Open Work Permit (optional but common): Inland applicants who want their partner working while the PR processes must file a separate SOWP application for $255 CAD.

Immigration consultant or lawyer (optional): If you choose professional representation, RCICs typically charge $3,000–$5,000 for full spousal sponsorship management. Lawyers charge $3,500–$7,000+. Review-only services (consultant audits your prepared file) run $550–$850. These fees are entirely separate from government processing fees.

Total Out-of-Pocket Budget

For a couple without children, outside Quebec, doing the application themselves:

For Quebec sponsors, add $328+ to that total. For couples using a consultant or lawyer, add $3,000–$7,000+ on top.

What Is Not Refunded on Refusal

If your application is refused:

• The $150 sponsorship application fee is gone
• The $535–$570 processing fee is gone
• The biometrics fee is gone
• The $575 RPRF is returned

This is why getting the evidence right before submission matters — not just the technical completeness, but the substantive strength of the relationship proof. A refused application costs you $800–$900+ in non-refundable fees plus months of time, before you even factor in appeal costs.

The Canada Spousal Sponsorship Guide includes a complete budget planning worksheet, the SOWP fee and timeline breakdown, and guidance on when professional review is worth the cost versus when the DIY approach is realistic.