The four costs people forget
Proof of settlement funds
Not a fee — money you must hold and document, and cannot borrow. Around CAD 15,000 or more for one applicant and CAD 19,000 or more for two, rising with family size and updated by IRCC each year. It is the biggest number in most budgets and the one most often missing from a quote.
Everyone's tests, not just yours
A spouse's language test and credential assessment cost the same as your own, and are frequently the difference between an invitation and another year in the pool. Budget for two of everything if two of you are coming.
Re-sitting the language test
Most applicants sit IELTS more than once, because the difference between band 7 and band 8 is worth more points than almost anything else they could do. Assume two attempts and be pleasantly surprised.
The first three months after landing
Rent deposits, a car, health cover before provincial coverage starts, and a job search that takes longer than anyone plans for. This is what the settlement funds requirement exists to cover, and it is why the figure is not negotiable.
How to read any consultant’s quote
Government fees are fixed and published. Professional fees are not regulated in India at all. So ask any firm — including us — to itemise the two separately. If a quote arrives as one number, you cannot tell what you are paying for, and you cannot compare it with anyone else’s.
The second question worth asking: what happens to the fee if the application is refused. That answer lives in the service agreement, and it is worth reading before you sign rather than after.
Common questions
How much does Canada PR cost from India in 2026?
For a single applicant through Express Entry, the unavoidable government and third-party costs — IELTS, an Educational Credential Assessment, biometrics, the medical, the PR application fee and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee — typically land between ₹1.5 and ₹2.5 lakh. On top of that sits proof of settlement funds, which is not a fee but must genuinely exist in your account: roughly CAD 15,000 or more for one person and CAD 19,000 or more for two, rising with family size and updated by IRCC each year. Professional fees, if you use a licensed representative, are separate again.
What is proof of funds and do I actually need it?
It is money you must show you hold, unencumbered, to support yourself on arrival. You do not pay it to anyone — but it must be in your own account, documented, and it cannot be borrowed. It is waived if you are applying under the Canadian Experience Class, or if you are already authorised to work in Canada and hold a valid Canadian job offer. It is the single largest line in most people's budget and the one most often left out of quotes.
Why do consultants quote such different fees?
Because professional fees are unregulated in India while government fees are fixed and public. Any two firms quoting you wildly different totals are almost always differing on their own fee, on what they have chosen to leave out, or on whether they have included proof of funds as though it were a cost. Ask for the government fees itemised separately from the professional fee — a firm that will not separate them is telling you something.
Are the fees refundable if my application is refused?
Government application fees are generally not refundable once processing begins, though the Right of Permanent Residence Fee is refunded if you are not approved. Professional fees depend entirely on your service agreement — read the refund clause before you sign, not after a refusal.
Figures are indicative and move with government fee schedules and exchange rates. Always confirm current fees on the destination government’s own site before budgeting. XIPHIAS provides immigration consulting and documentation support; it is not a law firm.