Costs of Immigrating to Canada- Immigration Fee Payable to Canada or US consulates
Moving to a foreign country no doubt is a great idea! You get a better lifestyle, more opportunities, a chance to meet people from different backgrounds, and immerse in diverse cultures, etc.However, one word of caution is that as an immigrant you need to ascertain the costs of immigrating to Canada or any other foreign country to make the entire process a smooth and pleasant experience.
Well, nothing comes free of cost, and that is a well-established fact. Immigration too has many costs, apart from the emotional costs in the form of separation from motherland, society you have grown up with; you also need to spend Lot of money to move to a foreign country.
The costs of immigration depends on the Visa type you chose for immigration. No matter which country you chose to immigrate to whether USA or Canada, you will have plenty of options based on your specific situations as Your age, marital status, profession, work experience, education you will be eligible for many immigration schemes of each of these countries.
Canada offers more than 60 schemes to help you immigrate to the Land of Maple leaf; similarly, the US also opens its doors for immigrant under many categories.
Some of the Visa categories available to immigrate to Canada and USA
| Immigration Type | Canada | USA |
| Skilled Worker | Federal Skilled Worker; Quebec Skilled Worker; Provincial Nominee Programs | Employment Authorization Document; Visa for the extraordinary ability |
| Family Class sponsorship | Spouse of Common law sponsor; Parent and Grandparent sponsorship; Parent & Grandparent super visa; Provincial Family class sponsorship; Dependent Child sponsorship | Citizenship through Parents;
Visa for Immediate relative; Visa for Spouse; Fiancé visa |
| Investors | Self Employed Visa; Entrepreneur Startups Visa; Provincial nomination Visa; Investor Immigration Visa | Direct center Investment Visa; Regional center investment visa |
These are some major classes of visas available for immigration to either Canada or the USA, in addition many other categories of visas such as the asylum, refugee visa; temporary visa; intra company transfer visa and many other types of visa or available some of which are non-immigrant, but over period of time can be converted to immigrant visas.
Costs of Immigrating also depends on Program you apply for- The costs of immigrating to a country, whether Canada or USA depends on the program you are eligible for, and the program you wish to apply for; In addition, you may also incur expenses such as cost of consultants, if you chose to hire one, cost of legal fees, apart from consulate fee, fee for taking various tests, etc. Apart from the Government fee, you might incur additional costs on landing in a foreign country until you find a job to sustain and support yourself and your dependents well.
The costs of Immigration under different visa types
As an immigrant, you will have to pay different fee based on the class of visa you are eligible for and wish to apply. The fee has to be paid to the visa offices in their local currencies and they accept payments using a credit card, bank draft, certified cheque, etc.
| Immigration Type | Fee in Canadian Dollars (CAD $) | Fee in US Dollars (US$) |
| Skilled worker – Principal applicant | 550 | 410 |
| Spouse or Partner (common law, conjugal) of principal applicant or a family member of 22 years or older | 550 | 410 |
| A dependent of the Principal applicant under the age of 19 years | 150 | 110 |
| Business Class Visa- Principal Applicant | 1050 | 770 |
| Spouse, Partner ( Common –law, conjugal) | 550 | 410 |
| Dependent of the principal applicant under the age of 19 years | 150 | 110 |
| Family Class Visa- application fee | 75 | |
| Principal applicant | 475 | |
| Principal applicant, under the age of 19 years | 75 | |
| Dependent of the principal applicant of 22 years or older | 550 | |
| Dependent of the principal applicant under the age of 19 years | 150 | |
| Spouse, immediate relative | 535 | |
| Citizenship through parent | 1170 | |
| Right of landing Fee – Refundable if application is rejected | 490 | 715 |
Other Expenses Regarding Immigration – Apart from the fee you pay to the government to obtain visa there will be many other expenses for which you need to carry enough funds. Living expenses differ from city to city,
- The average monthly rent for a room would be around $350 and $2000 for an apartment
- Food expenses would come to around $ 600 a month for a family of four
- You may have to contact placement consultants to get your resume in shape to attract potential employers that will cost you anywhere between $ 100-500.
- Health Care insurance costs about $550
- Some Amount kept apart for admission of children to school, including uniform- say $500
- Home essentials as Furniture, Kitchen set up etc- $3000 for basic necessities only
- Amount to be kept apart for contingencies – $1000
Canada and the US scores high on lifestyle, and many other factors, as such these countries receive thousands of applications under each category of immigration every year. You may have to make your case strong and may have to take language tests, score high in language, document properly, etc. all of which might require some additional expenditure. With proper planning and execution, you can file for immigration and live in a country of your choice.
Got an issue to discuss with leading Immigration consultants regarding Immigration to US or Canada? Join our facebook group ImmigrationCanada and post your query