How Much Does It Cost To Apply For Express Entry?

What are the Canada Express Entry fees? This depends on your current financial situation and which city you end up moving to, but can be a good financial decision in the long run. Let’s take a look at all the costs associated with applying through Express Entry.

Express Entry Application Fees

The most important fees to consider for Express Entry are the application fees (the fees you must pay to Immigration Canada to have them process your application), and the proof of funds (that we describe later in this article).

The Express Entry application fees include the following:

• $1,325 for the main applicant, and an additional $1,325 if a spouse or common law partner is included
• $225 per dependent child included in the application
• $85 biometrics fee for the main applicant, or $170 total for 2 or more applicants

Note: Until June 2, 2020, the online portal will not be updated with the new Express Entry fees so you must pay in two instalments. Follow their specific instructions here to do so if you’re applying before then.

You should also keep in mind that you will incur additional fees for other services throughout your application, such as:

• Language exam fees
• An Education Credential Assessment (ECA) for foreign degrees
• Translating documents not in English or French
• Medical exam
• Police certificate

The prices of each depend on the country you are residing in and your country of citizenship, but you should budget at least a few hundred dollars CAD to cover them.

Canada Proof of Funds

One of the main requirements for applications under the Express Entry Program is to demonstrate that applicants have enough money to support both themselves and their families after arriving in Canada. This is called Proof of Funds.

The only exceptions to this rule are if a) an applicant is currently working and authorized to work in Canada, or b) they have received a valid job offer from a Canadian employer.

It is important to note that the amount of funds needed varies based on the size of the family, and that these numbers are updated yearly. So how much money do you need to immigrate to Canada? See the chart below, in Canadian dollars:

Source: Government of Canada proof of funds

It is also important to research the cost of living of where you will be planning to settle in Canada. Toronto and Vancouver, for example, have a lot of potential job opportunities, but have the highest costs of living. A 1-bedroom apartment in Toronto can be anywhere from $1,000 – 2,500 CAD/month depending on where in the city you live.

That also doesn’t include transportation and other costs like internet, food, and utilities. Applicants should consider this when budgeting for their move.

We hope this has shed some light on whether Express Entry is a good option for you financially. If you’d like to learn more about Express Entry, get started on our free platform here!

This post was initially prepared by a group of graduate students / recent graduates that are exploring issues related to the Canadian immigration programs for skilled workers. Their project is powered by Visto!