How much does it cost to immigrate to Canada? Check it out and plan yourself!
Table of Contents
It is common to receive questions such as “how much does it cost to immigrate to Canada?”. In fact, this questioning goes beyond the ticket, passport, housing, and food. Cost covered in this post are also very important, other costs must be considered not to end your frustrating plan. I will try to cover about them, let’s jump in.
Proof of minimum income required by the government
The Canadian immigration process requires you to prove that you have money to cover your basic expenses for the first few months you live here. Canadian Experience category or are already authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer do need income proof. Refer to CEC: Proof of Means of Financial Support letter template for details.
The total amount depends on how many people come with you, as a spouse or dependent children, based on the LICO table (Low-income Cut-off), plus an additional 30%. For the time being, this additional 30% is not being requested due to the pandemic.
| Size of Family Unit | Minimum necessary income |
|---|---|
| 1 person (the sponsor) | $25,921 |
| 2 persons | $32,270 |
| 3 persons | $39,672 |
| 4 persons | $48,167 |
| 5 persons | $54,630 |
| 6 persons | $61,613 |
| 7 persons | $68,598 |
| More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add | $6,985 |
Table is updated by government of Canada every year due to inflation. Year 2021 was an exception due to the pandemic, and therefore the values of the previous three years are being used.
Proficiency test
The most used immigration process is the Express Entry. If you are going to use it, you will have to take an English proficiency test. Using IELTS as a base, the IELTS General Training modality, which assesses knowledge of the language in a daily context, currently costs CAD 310. To increase your exam score, it is recommended to take preparatory courses. Cost for these preparation may vary widely in price. Research them to get a sense of the costs.
Equivalence of diplomas
Also known as Evaluations for Immigration (ECA), if you and your spouse have degrees, you will need to perform equivalence at institutions, the best known of which is WES. On the official website, the amount indicated is CAD 220 * excluding delivery charges, additional fees, and harmonized sales tax of 13% (HST).
Sworn translations
Both for the equivalence of the diplomas and the immigration process itself, it will be necessary to send sworn translations and send them by post to the institutions. Some examples of documents that will need this translation are:
- diplomas;
- school records;
- wedding certificate;
- bank letter;
- Bank statement;
- criminal record;
- letter from employers (if any);
- documents such as birth certificate and RG;
- between others.
The value of these translations varies according to the professional hired, plus the process fees. It is important to evaluate them so that they do not take you by surprise.
Medical exams
Medical examinations are also needs to be submitted with your permanent residence application. It can only be done by doctors registered and authorized by Canadian Immigration. Some of the tests that need to be performed are:
- blood;
- urine;
- chest X-ray;
- clinical examination (pressure measurement, lung and heart listening, and other more general examinations).
Also, put the exams on your expense list so you can know exactly how much it costs to immigrate to Canada in the end.
Document analysis and visa issuance
After submitting all documents to Express Entry, you will have to pay for the analysis of these documents and the visa issuance. Payment is made online, within your IRCC’s profile.
Sending passports
You will also need to send your passport to obtain a visa. You will need to use the Canadian Visa Application Center (CVAC) in your country to do this. Fees vary depending on the type of application, location, and other information.
Extra costs
In addition to these values, also consider the costs of airline tickets, travel insurance, housing, food, transportation, among others. Again, these costs vary according to your choices: the city where you will live, how many people have migrated with you, and your basic needs.
Many of the necessary costs are paid even before the immigration application is accepted, so it does not guarantee that your application will be approved. One way to have more chances is to carry out the process with the help of specialized professionals.
