Passport Fee Increase and the "30 Days or Free" Processing Guarantee

Starting March 31, 2026, Canadian passport and travel document fees have been adjusted for the first time in over a decade. A regular 10-year adult passport applied for within Canada now costs $163.50, up from $160, while a five-year adult passport has risen from $120 to $122.50. The increases reflect inflation and the growing cost of producing secure travel documents, and going forward, fees will be adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index under the Service Fees Act.

One day later, on April 1, the federal government launched its "30 days or free" passport processing guarantee. Under this initiative, applicants will receive an automatic full refund of their passport or travel document fee if processing takes longer than 30 business days. The processing clock starts when Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) receives a complete application and stops when the passport is printed and verified — mailing time is not included. A complete application must include a fully filled-out form, all required documents including a passport photo, and payment of the applicable fees.

Citizenship Fee and Upcoming Permanent Residence Fee Increases

Also effective March 31, the right of citizenship fee for adults rose from $119.75 to $123 — an increase of $3.25. The adult citizenship grant application processing fee remains unchanged at $530, bringing the total cost for an adult citizenship application to $653. This annual adjustment is mandated under the Service Fees Act to keep pace with inflation and maintain sustainable service delivery.

Notably, permanent residence application fees across all categories are scheduled to increase on April 30, 2026. Applicants planning to submit PR applications should take note of this upcoming deadline.

Super Visa Income Requirements Eased

As of March 31, 2026, the Super Visa program has introduced two new ways for hosts to meet the minimum income threshold. The Super Visa is a long-term, multi-entry visa that allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to stay in Canada for up to five consecutive years per visit, with a validity of up to 10 years.

Under the updated rules, hosts and their co-signers now have two additional pathways to qualify:

• Extended income assessment period: Hosts may now qualify by meeting the income threshold in either of the two taxation years preceding the application date, rather than being limited to the most recent tax year alone.
• Supplementing the host's income: Where a host and co-signer meet only part of the required threshold, the visiting parent's or grandparent's income can be added to bridge the shortfall.

These changes open new possibilities for families who previously fell short of the income requirement. It is important to note that the Super Visa remains a temporary visit pathway and is not a permanent residence program, though it can serve as an alternative for families unable to use the Parents and Grandparents Program.

Provinces Gain Greater Authority Over Nominee Assessments

Effective March 30, 2026, provinces and territories have assumed greater responsibility for assessing provincial nominee candidates on two key factors: the candidate's intention to reside in the nominating province or territory, and the candidate's ability to become economically established in Canada. Previously, IRCC officers conducted independent assessments on these factors; that responsibility has now been transferred to the provincial level.

Under the new framework, if an IRCC officer identifies information of concern during the review process, they must consult with the nominating province or territory. The province then has a set period to review the concerns and decide whether to maintain or revoke the nomination. In practice, this means provinces will scrutinize applicants' settlement intentions and economic prospects more closely before issuing nominations, and applicants should prepare accordingly at the provincial stage.

Settlement Service Access Now Time-Limited

Beginning April 1, 2026, economic-class immigrants may access federally funded settlement services for a maximum of six years after obtaining permanent resident status. Previously, economic immigrants could use these services at any time between becoming a permanent resident and obtaining Canadian citizenship, with no time restriction. The new limit applies to both current and newly approved economic-class permanent residents.

Starting April 1, 2027, the access window will tighten further to five years. Settlement services include language training, employment assistance, community integration support, and other federally funded programs. Refugees, protected persons, and family-class immigrants are not affected by this change and continue to have unrestricted access. The federal government has stated that this adjustment was made in support of its Budget 2025 commitments.

Expanded Rural Access to Temporary Foreign Workers

From April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, rural employers in participating provinces and territories may hire low-wage temporary foreign workers at up to 15% of their total workforce under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, up from the previous cap of 10%. These employers may also maintain their current number of low-wage temporary foreign workers. Announced by Employment and Social Development Canada, this temporary measure is designed to help rural employers address labour market needs. It applies only to rural employers in provinces and territories that have opted in and does not extend to urban employers.

Saskatchewan Extends SINP Application Fees to All Worker Categories

Effective April 1, 2026, the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) has extended its $500 application fee and $250 second review fee to all worker applicants across all categories. Applications submitted before April 1 are not subject to the new fees. A second review is a process available to applicants whose applications are deemed ineligible by the SINP, allowing them to request a reassessment if they believe an error was made during the processing or evaluation of their application based on the criteria in effect at the time.