Federal vs. provincial skilled worker programs: A comparison of immigration fees and processing times.
If you want to immigrate to Canada, you might consider the pros and cons of using the federal skilled worker program versus the provincial skilled worker program.
The cost to apply generally for Canadian immigration may turn one of the factors in deciding which economic pathway to take.
You need to apply to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for permanent residence in Canada. The federal government, at this moment, holds the final say on immigration.
If your provincial home country permits you to reside permanently in Canada, you may apply for Canadian permanent residency.
A Quebec selection certificate, or a Quebec Selection Certificate, from Quebec, will support your permanent residence application to IRCC.
This visa opens you up to many immigration options, but it can be more expensive and take longer than other visas.
However, many provincial programs are not designed to facilitate immigration for entrepreneurs. Provincial programs are also more expensive and less flexible than federal programs.
When you plan to reside in a foreign country, you may want to move. The government will assist you in obtaining an immigrant work visa.
It will help if you read this article to learn more about the different economic-class immigration programs.
Consider the pros and cons of immigration by provincial nomination vs. Express Entry.
The costs of applying to IRCC-administered programs
When applying for permanent residence in Canada from IRCC, you have to pay a self-employment tax, and your spouse / common-law partner and your children will be eligible to immigrate at a lower cost.
To get permanent residency in Australia, you need to pay a right of permanent residence fee for yourself and your partner.
Dependent children can get free immigration to the U.S. This year, fees for most economical, family, and humanitarian classes are going up for applicants in most categories.
IRCC increased permanent residence fees in 2020 to account for inflation for the first time since 2002.
At that time, IRCC announced that it would increase fees every two years to reflect the rising cost of living. So this year fees are going to go up.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the subsequent increase in natural gas production is expected to occur in 2024.
As of April 30, the costs for the following immigration programs will go up about $40. You’ll have to pay the additional fees of $1,315 if you apply before September 1 or $1,335 if you apply after that date.
Applicants must each pay C$1,365 (plus any biometric fees) plus any fees to apply for various fields, which may include:
- Express Entry-managed programs
- Provincial Nominee Program
- and more
The fee for a biometric I.D. card is $85 for an individual and $175 for a family of two or more.
If you wanted to give an example of some total costs, one primary applicant applying for an Express Entry-managed program has to pay upto $1,450, including biometrics fees.
Two usually pay around $2,905 for the same program.
The typical fee for one child is about $3,135.
Each dependent child costs $230. The application fees are different depending on the immigration program, but the right of permanent residence fee is always the same.
The cost of applying for PNPs and Quebec immigration is summarized below
On top of the fees required to apply for immigration to the federal government, the PNP and Quebec candidates often have to pay application fees to their desired province.
To compare, a single person seeking to immigrate to Ontario from another country would pay $2,925 through a PNP but only $1,450 through Express Entry.
Four PNPs don’t charge any application fees: Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, and Yukon.
Newfoundlanders and Labradoreans have recently removed their fees to encourage newcomers to apply for immigration to the province.
The skilled workers who apply to other provinces can earn between $250 and $1,500 per.
Enhanced PNPs vs. Standard PNPs: What’s the Difference?
You can enter an Express Entry pool at any time, but it pays to wait until after April 1 to enter to qualify for enhanced status.
In some provinces, only individuals with a specific skill set and a specific level of education are eligible to become a base N.P. In other areas, everyone is eligible to apply. In other provinces, only those with a certain level of education are eligible.
Those who are eligible for an enhanced PNP may apply for the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program managed by the Ministry of Employment, Workforce.
The benefit of being in the Express Entry pool is the possibility of applying directly to the IRCC for immigration.
The Federal Skilled Worker Program is among the fastest ways to get permanent residence. It’s essential to apply early as many spots are limited each year.
It’s not like a PNP is something that you can apply for without a nomination. First, you apply for a nomination from the province; then, you apply for a permanent residence.
Express Entry is a points-based system used by the federal government to invite immigration candidates to apply for permanent residence.
The most scoring candidates are invited to apply in bi-weekly rounds of invitation.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, though, IRCC has often invited eligible candidates who are candidates for the CEC or PNP class.
The IRCC has only invited PNPs since September 2021 and has not held a draw for FSWPs since December 2020. Gram-scale microstructural characterization of thin free-standing films by atomic force microscopy.
In the past, applicants on the Express Entry System (such as those who got their provincial nomination) may have chosen to wait until after their interview with one of the immigration consultants before they applied for an Express Entry ITA and thus paid only one application.
The pause has impacted Canadian immigration plans on FSWP, and CEC draws. Many immigrants are considering applying for a permanent resident visa (PNP) as an alternative.
Express Entry candidates who receive a provincial nomination are awarded an additional 600 points toward their Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score.
ITA is not an award. It means you have a chance of getting permanent residence.
All applicants are automatically screened by the provincial Nominee Program Manager (NPM) to determine eligibility for provincial base PNPs.
There is a lot of confusion in this area. Some provinces offer these programs, and some don’t.
They may take longer to process.
Comparing processing times
It takes IRCC about 28 months to process base PNPs, and it will take IRCC 22 months to process Express Entry PNPs.
The estimated processing time for Quebec skilled workers is now 32 months.
If you are in the Express Entry pool (but have not yet been invited to the next round), don’t worry!
It takes approximately six months from when we receive your application for processing, and we estimate that processing time ranges between two and three months.
Those taking the FSTP application must wait more than four years.
Conclusion
What should you expect from each application submission process? Many people don’t realize that their time spent filling out applications for these programs may be an expensive waste of time.
Ultimately, your decision about what stream to apply for should be based on which you feel gives you the best chances of getting permanent residency.
Once you have uploaded a profile to the Express Entry system, it is in your best interest to ensure that you are correctly classified. Your chances of being considered for an ITA will improve if a province evaluates you.
This year, Canada plans to welcome 83,500 permanent residents under the 10,000 PNPR program.
This figure is highly expected to reach up to 93,000 in 2024.
IRCC estimates that 55,900 immigrants will come through Express Entry this year, but by 2024 the number of Express Entry immigrants is expected to rise to 111,500.