ARCHIVED - Citizenship and Immigration Canada

A. External Fee

Service Standard
[notes 1 and 2]

Performance Results
[note 2]

Stakeholder Consultation

Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) (formerly Right of Landing Fee)

This fee is not a processing fee, but rather a fee that is paid in order to receive the right of permanent residence. Legally, this fee is only required to be paid before PR visas are issued abroad or before the grant of PR status in Canada. The timing of its payment is, to a certain degree, voluntary on the part of the applicant; i.e. at any time during the processing of the PR applications in Canada, before finalization of PR visa abroad, or before PR status is granted in Canada. Because the client determines when the fee is paid, no specific service standards are attached to it. Instead, the service standard and processing times are attached to processing of the application itself, which carries a separate fee. (see next item on list)

This fee is closely linked to the processing of permanent resident applications.

Payment of RPRF fees is, to a certain degree, subject to the wishes of the individual client. Legally the only requirement is that they be paid before a PR visa is issued abroad and before PR status is granted in Canada.

The government has indicated its desire to eliminate the RPRF during its mandate. The fee was reduced by half at the beginning of fiscal year 2006–2007.

Permanent Residence Application Fee,
Permanent Resident Card Fee, and Permanent Resident Travel Document Fee

Immigration levels are set by Cabinet once a year. CIC complies with these set levels. Since demand (intake) far outstrips the set levels, excess applications may wait in queue for lengthy periods until “levels room” opens up the following year. Without intake controls, and without being in contempt of Parliament, it is not possible for CIC to set service standards for applications outside of the priority processing queue.

Highest priority processing is given to immediate family class (spouses, etc). At overseas missions and in Canada the service standard is to finalize the majority of cases within 6 months. Second priority processing is given to Provincial Nominees and Quebec Economic (Skilled Worker and Business) classes.

At overseas missions.

Permanent Resident Cards: Majority within 30 days.

Permanent Resident Travel Document: 2 days for routine cases.

Permanent Residence Applications
Overseas: Immigrant Visas: In calendar year 2006 overseas missions delivered 96.7% of the overall visa target. A total of 217,003 immigrant visas were issued abroad.
In calendar year 2006, missions finalized 50% of immediate Family Class applications within 4 months, 70% within 7 months and 80% within 9 months. Missions finalized 50% of provincial nominees within 8 months, 70% within 10 months and 80% within 12 months.

Domestic: Sponsorship:
99% of undertakings (spouse, child) are currently processed within 32 days. Other classes: First-stage approval for in-Canada PR applications is currently between 6–19 months depending on the immigrant category.

Permanent Resident Card: Domestic: Cards for new PRs are processed within 3–4 weeks. Initial, replacement or renewal of PR card for existing PRs is currently 30 days at the CPC.

Permanent Resident Travel Document:
Overseas: While no processing data is reported, 70% of applications are generally processed within 2 days.

All the current fees are to the Government of Canada regulatory process for cost recovery fees which includes consultation requirements. Consultations took place at the time each fee was imposed as part of the regulatory process.

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration holds regular consultations on various issues related to its mandate including fees and service standards.

CIC consults regularly with stakeholders including the Canada Bar, the Canadian Council for Refugees, Immigration Practitioners, etc.

Future processing fees will be subject to the User Fee Act Bill C-212. Section 4 of the User Fee Act specifies the consultative requirements that will apply when new user fees are considered.

Work Permit Fee (individual and performing artist groups)

Overseas: 4 weeks for the majority of cases.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 72% of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 24 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

See above

Study Permit Fee

Same as above.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 76% of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recent average processing times are 37 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville. 

See above

Temporary Resident Visa Application Fee (TRV) and Extension of Authorization to Remain in Canada as a Temporary Resident Fee

Overseas: 2 days for the majority of cases.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Overseas: In calendar year 2006, 62% of TRV applications were finalized within 2 days.

Domestic: Extension of status: Recent average processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville. 

See above

Temporary Resident Permit Fee (TRP)

Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. The majority are processed in 2 days but variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibility that is being addressed can influence the service standard.

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time) for majority of cases.

Domestic: Recent processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

See above

Restoration of Temporary Resident Status Fee

Domestic: 40 calendar days (includes 10 days mailing time).

Recent processing times are 34 calendar days at CPC-Vegreville.

See above

Other immigration services (various)

Certification and replacement of immigration document: 6–8 weeks for majority of cases.

Overseas: Authorizations to Return to Canada (ARCs) are processed expeditiously but the extremely variable nature and complexity of ARC cases can influence the service standard.

Replacement of immigration documents: currently within 6–8 weeks.

See above

Right of Citizenship Fee

Service standard is linked to the processing of the application for a grant of citizenship, similar to the Right of Permanent Residence Fee.

This fee is linked to acquisition of citizenship status (see Change of Citizenship Fee below).

See above

Change of Citizenship Fees: Grant, Retention, Resumption, Renunciation of Citizenship

12–15 months for majority of cases.

In 2006–2007, processing times for individuals applying to become a citizen (grant of citizenship) were reduced from 15–18 months to 12–15 months.

See above

Citizenship Status Document Fees: Proof of Citizenship and Search for Record of Citizenship

3 months for majority of cases

In 2006–2007, processing times for the issuance of a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) were reduced from 5–7 months to 3 months.

See above

Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act (ATIA)

30 days following receipt of request unless an extension is requested

In 2006-2007, CIC received 10,497requests under the Access to Information Act in 2006–07 and completed 10,667 requests during the same period (some requests carried over from previous year). CIC provided a response within 30 days following receipt of the request in 67.8% of cases. Response time was extended in 32.2% of cases.
Overall, CIC met deadlines for 95% of the requests over the course of the year.

The service standard is established by the Access to Information Act and the Access to Information Regulations. Consultations with stakeholders were undertaken by the Department of Justice and the Treasury Board Secretariat for amendments done in 1986 and 1992.