Pros and cons in applying Canadian Immigration: Province vs Directly

The expense of registering for Canadian immigration may be a challenging factor in choosing which economic pathway to select.

The federal government constitutionally decides immigration if you apply for permanent residence through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Cannada (IRCC). However, you have the option to apply for a particular province to support you throughout your permanent residency application. You will receive a Quebec Selection Certificate or a nomination certificate from Quebec to vouch for applying for your permanent residence at IRCC if you have successfully applied for a provincial pathway.

Even though this option exposes you to abundant immigration options, it can be time-consuming and expensive. In contrast, the provincial programs pave a path for more immigration candidates. They are the reliable pathways to permanent residence for the employees whose skills meet the needs of the regional labor market.

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Let’s look into the pros and cons of immigration through Express Entry vs. provincial immigration by comparing the costs of various programs for the economic-class immigration.

Expenses for the skilled workers to apply to IRCC-run programs

As you apply for the immigration IRCC, you need to pay a certain amount of the application fee for yourself and the dependents joining you in Canada. Dependent children are excused from this application fee.

The Canadian immigration fees are shooting up for the applicants this year for most of the family, humanitarian and economic classes. Starting from April 30th, the application fees will increase up to $40 more compared to the current cost of $1,325. The fees of $1,365 have to be paid by the accompanying spouses and principal applicants along with any biometric fees to apply:

• Express Entry-managed programs
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Quebec Skilled Worker program
• Atlantic Immigration Program
• Other economic pilots include Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and Agri-food Immigration Pilot.

Program	Applicants	Current fee	New fee April 30, 2022
Right of Permanent Residence Fee	Principal applicant and accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$500	$515
Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program and Quebec Skilled Workers, Atlantic Immigration Class and most Economic Pilots (Rural, Agri-Food)	Principal applicant	$825	$850
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$825	$850
	Accompanying dependent child	$225	$230
Live-in Caregiver Program and Caregivers Pilots (Home Child Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot)	Principal applicant	$550	$570
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$550	$570
	Accompanying dependent child	$150	$155
Business (Federal and Quebec)	Principal applicant	$1,575	$1,625
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$825	$850
	Accompanying dependent child	$225	$230
Family Reunification (Spouses, Partners and Children; Parents and Grandparents; and other relatives)	Sponsorship fee	$75	$75
	Sponsored principal applicant	$475	$490
	Sponsored dependent child	$75	$75
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$550	$570
	Accompanying dependent child	$150	$155
Protected Persons	Principal applicant	$550	$570
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$550	$570
	Accompanying dependent child	$150	$155
Humanitarian and Compassionate / Public Policy	Principal applicant	$550	$570
	Accompanying spouse or common-law partner	$550	$570
	Accompanying dependent child	$150	$155
Permit Holders	Principal applicant	$325	$335

Biometrics fees are about $85 for every individual or $175 for a family. The application fees differ based on the program of the immigration, but the right to permanent residence remains constant. Below is the list of fees for 2022 federal immigration programs.

Expenses for PNPs and Quebec immigration application

The candidates of PNP and Quebec need to pay the application fees to their respective provinces. Four PNPs don’t charge to apply for the nominations of the province: Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, the Yukon, and Northwest Territories. Newfoundland and Labrador have removed their fees to support newcomers applying for provincial immigration.

Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) + Quebec	Application fee for principal applicant
Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP)	$500
British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP)	$1,150
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP)	$500
New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NB PNP)	$250
Newfoundland and Labrador Nominee Program (NLPNP)	$0
Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP)	$0
Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP)	$0
Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP)	$1,500
Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP)	$300
Quebec Immigration Program	$844
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP)	$350
Yukon Nominee Program (YNP)	$0

 

Base and Enhanced PNPs

The difference between base and enhanced PNPs is whether the candidates have an Express Entry profile. The base PNPs are functioned by the government of that particular province, and enhanced PNPs are accessible only to the candidates of the Express Entry.

People who are eligible for enhanced PNP are qualified for a managed program of the Expres Entry, such as the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP), or the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

People who aren’t eligible for an Express Entry-managed program may apply for the base PNP of a particular province operated by the Canadian province itself. They generally are more time taking. 

In 2022, as per the Immigration Levels Plan, Canada looks forward to inviting 83,500 PNP candidates 2022 through 2024. The invitations are expected to go higher up to 93,000 by 2024. IRCC is expecting 55,900 immigrants through Express Entry in 2022.

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