Canada
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): total cost to complete
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
A source-linked budget for a single foreign-educated Express Entry provincial nominee, using an Ontario-style CAD 1,500 nomination fee: provincial application fee, IRCC PR fees, biometrics, settlement funds, language test, ECA, medical exam, police certificates, and family-scaling lines.
What does the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) actually cost?
Mandatory non-refundable costs are CA$3,775-CA$4,555. Refundable proof-of-funds requirements are tracked separately at CA$15,263, because that money is shown or blocked rather than normally lost.
Verified against IRCC - Provincial Nominee Program on 1 July 2026.
What it actually costs
A source-linked budget for a single foreign-educated Express Entry provincial nominee, using an Ontario-style CAD 1,500 nomination fee: provincial application fee, IRCC PR fees, biometrics, settlement funds, language test, ECA, medical exam, police certificates, and family-scaling lines.
Money you don't get back
CA$3,775-CA$4,555
Mandatory fees, services and one month of insurance.
Proof of funds (returned to you)
CA$15,263
Proof of funds, not a fee. Express Entry applicants need it for FSW/FST minimum requirements unless applying under CEC or unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer.
| Cost line | Amount | Type | When / who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express Entry profile submission | CA$0 | Gov fee | Creating or updating the Express Entry profile is the pool-entry step. IRCC says an Express Entry-linked PNP applicant must qualify for both the provincial stream and one of the federal Express Entry programs. IRCC - Provincial Nominee Program |
| Provincial nomination application fee | CA$1,500 | Gov fee | Ontario Express Entry streams publish a CAD 1,500 application fee. Alberta worker streams also publish a CAD 1,500 application fee; other provinces and streams set their own schedules. Ontario - applying to the OINP |
| Provincial Worker EOI fee where used(optional)· indicative | CA$0-CA$135 | Gov fee | Not part of every province. Alberta introduced a CAD 135 Worker Expression of Interest fee effective 7 April 2026; Ontario Express Entry notification-of-interest flows do not add this exact Alberta WEOI line. Alberta - AAIP updates |
| Permanent residence processing fee (principal applicant) | CA$990 | Gov fee | Economic immigration processing fee for the principal applicant, including provincial nominees. IRCC increased this fee on 30 April 2026. IRCC - citizenship and immigration application fees |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee | CA$600 | Gov fee | Successful applicants pay the RPRF before becoming permanent residents. IRCC refunds this fee if the application is withdrawn or refused, but it is a completion cost when PR is granted. IRCC - citizenship and immigration application fees |
| Biometrics | CA$85 | Gov fee | Single-applicant biometrics fee. Family biometrics are capped at CAD 170 when eligible family members apply at the same time. IRCC - citizenship and immigration application fees |
| Settlement funds for one person unless exempt | CA$15,263 | Proof of funds | Proof of funds, not a fee. Express Entry applicants need it for FSW/FST minimum requirements unless applying under CEC or unless they are authorized to work in Canada and have a valid job offer. IRCC - Express Entry proof of funds |
| Language test for first official language· indicative | CA$250-CA$430 | Service | Express Entry candidates need approved English or French language test results; provider and country pricing vary for IELTS General, CELPIP-General, PTE Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada. IRCC - Express Entry language test results |
| Educational Credential Assessment· indicative | CA$200-CA$350 | Service | Foreign-educated applicants commonly need an ECA for FSW eligibility or CRS points. Costs vary by designated organization or professional body. IRCC - Express Entry education credential assessment |
| Immigration medical exam· indicative | CA$150-CA$450 | Service | Permanent residence applicants and family members need an immigration medical exam unless IRCC can reuse a recent acceptable exam. Panel-physician fees vary by country and clinic. IRCC - apply for permanent residence through Express Entry |
| Police certificates· indicative | CA$0-CA$150 | Service | Most applicants need police certificates after invitation. Country-specific fees vary; some jurisdictions issue them free, others charge per certificate, fingerprint, translation or delivery. IRCC - apply for permanent residence through Express Entry |
| Document translation / notarisation(optional)· indicative | CA$0-CA$300 | Service | Conditional: IRCC requires certified translations and supporting copies for documents that are not in English or French. IRCC - apply for permanent residence through Express Entry |
| Spouse or partner application + RPRF(optional) | CA$1,590 | Gov fee | Optional family-scaling line for an accompanying spouse or common-law partner; same economic-immigration fee total as the principal applicant. IRCC - citizenship and immigration application fees |
| Dependent child application fee(optional) | CA$270per child | Gov fee | Optional family-scaling line for each accompanying dependent child. IRCC - citizenship and immigration application fees |
Baseline sunk cost is the CAD 0 Express Entry profile, an Ontario-style CAD 1,500 provincial nomination application fee, IRCC principal-applicant processing fee, RPRF, biometrics, first-language test, one ECA, medical exam and police-certificate range for a single foreign-educated Express Entry PNP applicant. The CAD 15,263 settlement-funds requirement is shown separately because it is money the applicant must show, not money paid away, and it may be waived for CEC invitations or applicants authorized to work in Canada with a valid job offer. Optional Alberta WEOI, dependant, translation, province-specific post-decision and professional-licensing costs are excluded unless applicable. Last checked 1 July 2026.
Cite or reuse this dataset
This cost model is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite Visa Atlas for the compiled sunk/refundable split and cite each linked authority or provider source for the underlying line item.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) cost-to-complete model", https://visaatlas.org/cost-to-complete/canada-express-entry-pnp. Last verified 1 July 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/cost-to-complete
FAQs
What does the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) actually cost to complete?
Mandatory non-refundable costs are CA$3,775-CA$4,555 in the current model. Separately, refundable proof-of-funds requirements are CA$15,263. The line table explains each item and source.
Is proof of funds a sunk cost?
No. Proof of funds is money you must show, hold or block. It can still be a cash-flow barrier, but it is different from application fees, document costs and insurance payments that you do not normally get back.
Why are some lines marked indicative?
Some third-party costs vary by country, provider and document count. Those lines use a range and are marked indicative so they are not confused with a single government tariff.