Starting April 1, Canada has changed Immigration rules; changing Visa fee, work permit rules and more
Starting April, 2026, Canada has introduced a series of immigration changes that affect citizens, permanent residents and visa applications. Among the most important updates is a passport fee hike, after the changes a 10-year adult passport now costs CAD $163.50 (up from $160), while a 5-year adult passport is priced at CAD $122.50. Along with this, the citizenship fees have also increased slightly, with the right of citizenship fee now set at CAD $123. To offset this fee increase, Canada has now introduced a 30-day processing guarantee for passport applications. If the applications are not processed within this timeframe, then the applicants will automatically receive a full refund of their fees. This guarantee also applies only to complete applications with all the required documents.
Rules of super visa now relaxed
The government of Canada has also rolled out some relaxation in the super visa program. The sponsors can now qualify by meeting the income requirements in either of the past two tax years, and the visit parent or grandparent’s income can also be added to meet thresholds. The super visa allows the parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years per visit.
Provinces gain more control
Provinces and territories now have greater authority in assessing whether candidates intend to reside locally and can establish economically. Federal officers will no longer independently evaluate these factors, giving provinces more autonomy in immigration decisions.
Timeline of settlement services extended
Economic immigrants will now be eligible for federally funded settlement services for up to six years after gaining permanent residency. However, this timeline will reduce to five years starting in April 2027.
Rural work permit flexibility
Rural employers have been granted more leeway in hiring foreign workers. They can now employ up to 15% of their workforce as low-wage foreign workers, up from the previous 10%. This measure is in place until March 2027, depending on provincial participation.
Saskatchewan Fee Expansion
Applicants under the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) will now face a CAD $500 application fee across all worker immigration streams. Additionally, a CAD $250 second review fee applies if applicants contest an ineligible decision.
