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Table 2–A: User Fees


Table 2–A: User Fees
($ thousands)
User Fee Fee Type Fee–setting Authority Date Last Modified 2008–2009 Planning Years
Forecast
Revenue
Actual
Revenue
Full
Cost
Performance
Standards
Performance
Result
Fiscal
Year
Forecast
Revenue
Estimated
Full Cost
Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) Regulatory Financial Administration Act (FAA); Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) May 3, 2006 $77,100 $85,786 Costs associated with this fee are related to the overall cost of the immigration regulatory scheme.
This fee was established in association with the 1995 federal budget and subsequently reduced by half as a result of Budget 2006.
This fee is payable by persons who will acquire permanent resident status in Canada.

(See table entitled New Permanent Residents in 2008 in Section II – Strategic Outcome 1.)

Protected persons and dependent children do not pay the RPRF.
This fee is closely linked to the processing of permanent resident applications in Canada and overseas. 2009‑10 $78,100 Costs associated with this fee are related to the overall cost of the immigration regulatory scheme.
2010–11 $77,700  
2011–12 $77,600  
Permanent Residence Application Fee, Permanent Resident Card Fee, Permanent Resident Travel Document Fee, and Sponsorship Application Fee for Family Classes Regulatory IRPA and IRP Regulations. June 28, 2002 $153,900 $189,409 $283,900 Permanent Residence Applications:
Overseas: Contributes to the achievement of Government of Canada immigration levels by issuing visas in line with established annual targets.
Priority processing is given to the reunification of immediate family members—spouses, partners and dependant children—and to skilled workers nominated by provincial governments. [Note: Details of past processing times by each overseas mission and by immigration category appear on CIC’s website. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/index.asp
To ensure data consistency, the website of every overseas mission links to pages concerning processing times on the CIC website.]

Domestic:
Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres (CPC) are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process–in.asp  

Permanent Resident Card:

Domestic: Same as previous.

Permanent Resident Travel Document:

Overseas:
Processed expeditiously.
Permanent Residence Applications:
Overseas:
Immigrant Visas – In calendar year 2008, overseas missions delivered 100% of the overall visa target. A total of 215,934 immigrant visas were issued abroad.
In calendar year 2008, missions finalized 50% of immediate Family Class applications within six (6) months, 70% within nine (9) months and 80% within 11 months.
Missions finalized 50% of Provincial Nominees within seven (7) months, 70% within nine (9) months and 80% within 11 months.

Domestic: Sponsorship—spouse, child—processing times as of December 2008 were 32 days.
In calendar year 2008, 80% of immediate Family Class applications processed in Canada were finalized within 18 months.

Permanent Resident Card (PRC):
Domestic: Cards for new PRs are processed within three to four (3–4) weeks. As of December 31, 2008, at CPCPRC the processing time for the replacement or renewal of a PR card for existing PRs was 77 days.

Permanent Resident Travel Document:
Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 57% of applications were processed within two (2) days.
2009–10 $197,800 $283,900
2010–11 $206,400 $283,900
2011–12 $215,300 $283,900
Work Permit Fee (individual and performing artist groups) Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. January 2, 1997 $44,500 $51,365 $79,400 Overseas: Processed expeditiously. Past processing times by each overseas mission and by category appear on CIC’s website. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/index.asp

Domestic:
Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp   http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process–in.asp
Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 45% of applications were finalized within 14 days, this increased to 59% at 28 days.
 
Domestic: Recently, at CPC–Vegreville the average processing time is 46 calendar days.
2009–10 $45,400 $79,400
2010–11 $46,400 $79,400
2011–12 $47,700 $79,400
Study Permit Fee Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. June 1, 1994 $24,000 $22,226 $29,600 Same as previous. Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 44% of applications were finalized within 14 days, this increased to 65% at 28 days.

Domestic: Recently, at CPC–Vegreville the average processing time is 47 calendar days.
2009–10 $22,000 $29,600
2010–11 $22,300 $29,600
2011–12 $22,600 $29,600
Temporary Resident Visa Application Fee and Extension of Authorization to Remain in Canada as a Temporary Resident Fee Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. January 2, 1997 $108,900 $88,973 $124,600 Overseas:
Temporary Resident (TR) Visas – Processed expeditiously.
Past processing times for each overseas mission and by visa category appear on CIC’s website. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/international/index.asp

Domestic:  Extensions—Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process–in.asp
Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 54% of TR visa applications were finalized within two (2) days.

Domestic: Extension of status – Recently, at CPC–Vegreville the average processing time is 64 calendar days.
2009–10 $95,600 $124,600
2010–11 $97,100 $124,600
2011–12 $98,400 $124,600
Temporary Resident Permit Fee Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. January 2, 1997 $2,500 $2,403 $3,700 Overseas:
Processed expeditiously.

Domestic: Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process–in.asp
Temporary Resident Permit (TRP):
Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. There are no data on processing times for TRPs. They are processed expeditiously but the variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibilities being addressed means that there can be no meaningful service standard.

Domestic: Recently, at CPC–Vegreville the average processing time is 77 calendar days.

Extension of status: Recently, at CPC–Vegreville the average processing time is 74 calendar days.
2009–10 $2,300 $3,700
2010–11 $2,300 $3,700
2011–12 $2,300 $3,700
Restoration of Temporary Resident Status Fee Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. June 28, 2002 $2,000 $2,430 Costs of Restoration of Temporary Resident Status are not reported separately in CIC’s Cost Management Model. These costs are included in Temporary Resident Visa, Study Permit, and Work Permit costs. Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp 2009–10 $1,800 Costs of Restoration of Temporary Resident Status are not reported separately in CIC’s Cost Management Model. These costs are included in Temporary Resident Visa, Study Permit, and Work Permit costs.
2010–11 $1,800
2011–12 $1,800
Other immigration services (Rehabilitation; Authorization to Return to Canada; Immigration Statistical Data; Certification and replacement of immigration documents) Regulatory IRPA and IRPRegulations. Various $1,700 $2,230 $3,200
(Note 8)
Domestic:
Certification and replacement immigration document within six to eight (6–8) weeks.

Overseas: Authorizations to Return to Canada (ARCs) are processed expeditiously but the extremely variable nature and complexity of ARC cases means that there can be no meaningful performance standard.
Recent average processing times are published on CIC’s website and are updated regularly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/canada/process–in.asp

Overseas: See comments for performance standards.
2009–10 $1,800 $3,200
2010–11 $2,000 $3,200
2011–12 $2,200 $3,200
(Note 8)
Right of Citizenship Fee (ROCF ) Regulatory FAA; Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations. January 2, 1997 $20,900 $15,132 This fee was established in association with the 1995 federal budget. Costs associated with this fee are related to the overall cost of the citizenship regulatory scheme. This fee is payable by persons obtaining citizenship status.
(See Section 2 – Citizenship Program for details.)
Persons under 18 years of age do not pay the ROCF.
This fee is linked to acquisition of citizenship status. (See Change of Citizenship Fees.) 2009–10 $12,000 This fee was established in association with the 1995 federal budget. There is no cost associated with this fee.
2010–11 $12,000
2011–12 $12,000
Change of Citizenship Fees; Grant, Retention,  Resumption, Renunciation of Citizenship Regulatory Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations. January 2, 1997 $26,000 $18,574 $73,900 Recent average processing times are published on CIC’s website and are updated regularly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp In 2008–2009, processing times for individuals applying to become a citizen (Grant of Citizenship) were reduced from 15‑18 months to 10–12 months. 2009–10 $16,000 $73,900
2010–11 $16,000 $73,900
2011–12 $16,000 $73,900
Citizenship Status Document Fees: Proof of Citizenship and Search for Record of Citizenship Regulatory Citizenship Act and Citizenship Regulations. January 2, 1997 $4,000 $4,775 $19,700 Recent average processing times for Proof of Citizenship are published on CIC’s website and are updated regularly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp In 2008–2009, processing times for 80% of cases for the issuance of a citizenship certificate (Proof of Citizenship) increased from five to seven (5–7) months to 10 months. 2009–10 $2,400 $19,700
2010–11 $2,400 $19,700
2011–12 $2,400 $19,700
Fees charged for the processing of access requests filed under the Access to Information Act (ATIA ) Other products and services Access to Information Act. 1992 $100 $78 $1,900
(Note 9)
Response provided within 30 days following receipt of request; the response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the ATIA . Notice of extension to be sent within 30 days after receipt of request.
The ATIA provides fuller details: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/A–1/218072.htm l.
CIC received 14,034 requests under the ATIA in 2008–2009 and completed 13,616 requests during the same period (requests carried over from previous year). CIC provided a response within 30 days following receipt of the request in 63% of cases. Response time was extended in 37% of cases.
Overall, CIC met deadlines for 95.24% of the requests over the course of the year.
2009–10 $100 $1,900
2010–11 $100 $1,900
2011–12 $100 $1,900
(Note 9)
User Fees $465,600 $483,381 $619,900   2009–10 $475,300 $619,900
2010–11 $486,500 $619,900
2011–12 $498,400 $619,900

Notes:
1: Source: 2008–2009 Report on Plans and Priorities.
2: All amounts are net of current year remissions.
3: 2007–2008 full costs and estimated full costs include an estimate for other government departments and agencies and represent the best available cost data. Participating departments and agencies in CIC’s Cost Management Model for 2007–2008 are Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada; Public Works and Government Services Canada; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada; Immigration and Refugee Board; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Court Administration Services; Federal Court/Federal Court of Appeal; Human Resources and Skills Development Canada; and Canada Border Services Agency – Mission Integrity Officers only. The following departments and agencies did not participate in the 2007–2008 Cost Management Process: Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and Department of Justice. Costs are not included in the 2007–2008 Cost Management Model.

4: Processing times change regularly depending on a number of factors including application intake. Domestic processing times are expressed as average while overseas’ processing times are expressed as x% in y days.
5: All fees or modifications to fees that existed prior to the User Fees Act (UFA ) coming into effect on March 31, 2004, are not subject to that legislation. Therefore:

  • Performance standard, if provided, may not have received parliamentary review.
  • Performance standard, if provided, may not respect all established requirements under the UFA (e.g., international comparison; independent complaint address).
  • Performance result, if provided, is not legally subject to the UFA.
  • 6: Statistics for domestic regions were current as of December 31, 2008.
    7: Source: 2009–2010 Report on Plans and Priorities.
    8: Full costs include only rehabilitation cases and authorization to return to Canada costs.
    9: Source Annual Report 2007–2008 — Privacy Act, Access to Information Act. Website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/privacy/atip2007-08.asp#partII_report.
    10: Source: All overseas’ data are from CAIPS as of April 7, 2009, PR Card data is from CCS system, CPC–Vegreville data is from CPC–Vegreville systems, Citizenship data is from the Global Case Management System.

Table 2-B: Policy on Service Standards for External Fees


External Fee Service Standard
[notes 1, 2 and  3]
Performance Results
[note 3]
Stakeholder Consultation
Right of Permanent Residence Fee (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 prior to the time of the issuance of Permanent Resident (PR) visas abroad or prior to the granting of PR status in Canada. The timing of its payment is, to a certain degree, voluntary on the part of the applicant; i.e. either at any time during the processing of the PR applications prior to the issuance of the PR visa at a visa office, or prior to the finalization of the PR visa abroad, or prior to being granted PR status 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 the 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.

Right of Permanent Residence Fees are, to a certain degree, subject to the wishes of the individual client as to when they are paid. Legally, the only requirement is that they be paid prior to the issuance of a PR visa abroad and prior to granting PR status in Canada.
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 and Sponsorship Application Fee for Family Classes
Immigration levels are set by Cabinet once a year. In order to comply with levels, and since demand (intake) far outweighs set levels, once levels’ targets are met, excess applications may wait in queue for lengthy periods until “levels room” opens up the following year. Without intake controls, and to avoid being in contempt of Parliament, it is not possible 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 six (6) months. Priority processing for Provincial Nominees and Quebec Economic (Skilled Worker and Business) classes at overseas missions is done as quickly as possible taking into consideration levels’ plan.

Permanent Resident Cards: Majority within 30 days.

Permanent Resident Travel Document: Two (2) days for routine cases.
Permanent Residence Applications
Overseas: Immigrant Visas: In calendar year 2008 overseas missions delivered 100% of the overall visa target. A total of 215,934 immigrant visas were issued abroad.
In calendar year 2008, missions finalized 50% of immediate Family Class applications within six (6) months, 70% within nine (9) months and 80% within 11 months. Missions finalized 50% of provincial nominees within seven (7) months, 70% within nine (9) months and 70% of Quebec Economic applications within 12 months.

Domestic: Sponsorship (spouse, child) processing times as of December 2008 were 32 days. In calendar year 2008, 80% of immediate Family Class applications processed were finalized within 18 months.

Permanent Resident Card: Domestic: Cards for new PRs are processed within three to four (3-4) weeks. Processing time for the replacement or renewal of a PR card for existing PRs, as of December 31, 2008, was 77 days at the CPC-PRC.

Permanent Resident Travel Document:

Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 57% of applications were processed within two (2) days.
All the current fees are subject to the Government of Canada regulatory process for cost recovery fees which includes consultation requirements. Consultations took place at the time each of them 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 Association, the Canadian Council for Refugees, Immigration Practitioners, etc.

Future processing fees will be subject to the User Fee Act. 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: Four (4) weeks for the majority of cases.

Domestic: Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates for uncomplicated cases only and are updated weekly.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp
Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 59% of applications were finalized within 28 days.

Domestic: Recently, the average processing time is 46 calendar days at CPC–Vegreville.
See previous
Study Permit Fee Same as above Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 44% of applications were finalized within 14 days, this number increases to 65% within 28 days.

Domestic: Recently, the average processing time is 47 calendar days at CPC–Vegreville.
See previous
Temporary Resident Visa Application Fee and Extension of Authorization to Remain in Canada as a Temporary Resident Fee Overseas: Two (2) days for the majority of cases.

Domestic: 40 calendar days for majority of cases—includes 10 days for mailing time.
Overseas: In calendar year 2008, 54% of TRV applications were finalized within two (2) days.

Domestic: Extension of status – Recently, the average processing time is 64 calendar days at CPC–Vegreville.
See previous
Temporary Resident Permit Fee Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. They are processed expeditiously but variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibility that is being addressed means that there can be no meaningful performance standard.

Domestic: 40 calendar days for majority of cases —includes 10 days mailing time.
Temporary Resident Permit:
Overseas: TRPs are processed to overcome an inadmissibility identified during the processing of any type of visa application. They are processed expeditiously but variability in the complexity of the cases and the inadmissibility that is being addressed means that there can be no meaningful performance standard.

Domestic: Recently, the average processing time is 77 calendar days at CPC–Vegreville.

Extension of status: Recently, the average processing time is 74 calendar days at CPC–Vegreville.
See previous
Restoration of Temporary Resident Status Fee Domestic: 40 calendar days—includes 10 days mailing time. Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp See previous
Other immigration services (various) Certification and replacement of immigration document: Six to eight (6-8) weeks for the majority of cases.

Overseas: Authorizations to Return to Canada (ARCs) are processed expeditiously but the extremely variable nature and complexity of ARC cases means that there can be no meaningful performance standard.
Recent average processing times for Case Processing Centres are published on CIC’s website. The processing times are estimates only and are updated weekly. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp See previous
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 the acquisition of citizenship status. (See Change of Citizenship Fee) See previous
Change of Citizenship Fees: Grant, Retention, Resumption, Renunciation of Citizenship 12-15 months for the majority of cases. In 2008–2009 processing times for individuals applying to become a citizen (Grant of Citizenship) were reduced from 15-18 months to 10-12 months. See previous
Citizenship Status Document Fees: Proof of Citizenship and Search for Record of Citizenship Five (5) months for the majority of cases. In 2008–2009 processing times for 80% of cases for the issuance of a citizenship certificate (proof of citizenship) increased from five to seven (5-7) months to 10 months. See previous
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. CIC received 14,034 requests under the Access to Information Act in 2008–2009 and completed 13,616 requests during the same period—requests carried over from previous year. CIC provided a response within 30 days following receipt of the request in 63% of cases. Response time was extended in 37% of cases.

Overall, CIC met deadlines for 95.24% 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.


Notes:

  1. Service standards for immigration and citizenship processes are not published, but are internal benchmarks. Processing times for most processes are published on CIC’s website at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/times/index.asp and are updated regularly. Processing times change regularly depending on a number of factors including application intake. Domestic processing times are expressed as averages while overseas processing times are expressed as x% in y days/months. Providing good service for fee paid is not only a question of processing time. Often, faster processing would be poor client service such as affording an unreasonably brief time frame to provide needed documentation or rejecting a reasonable excuse from an applicant as to why they cannot attend a scheduled interview. Some elements of processing times are outside the control of CIC, and within the control of the applicant or other agencies such as CSIS, RCMP, CBSA. Due to case complexity and legal requirements, processing standards should not represent finalization of all cases, but rather for a given percentage within a given time frame or as averages.
  2. The Department’s original plan to introduce client service standards in 2008–2009 has been reoriented as follows for 2009–2010:
    • Publish a service declaration that will include CIC’s client commitment, a link to processing times and to gather feedback from the client.
    • Develop and begin the implementation of an action plan to set service standards for grants and contributions.
    • Develop and begin the implementation of an action plan to set operational standards for certain business lines based on standardized processes in order to assess the readiness for a service standard model.
    • Develop a performance measurement model for standards.
  3. All fees or modifications to fees that existed prior to the coming into force of the User Fees Act (UFA) on March 31, 2004, are not subject to that legislation. Therefore:
    • Performance standard, if provided, may not have received Parliamentary review.
    • Performance standard, if provided, may not respect all establishment requirements under the UFA (e.g. international comparison; independent complaint address).
    • Performance result, if provided, is not legally subject to UFA section 5.1.