In this post, I break down exactly how much it costs me to become a Canadian citizen starting from my application submission for the self-employed category to applying for a Canadian passport.
I began the process of immigrating to Canada in 2018 and became a Canadian citizen this year. It did not come cheap or without other unquantifiable costs.
I hope this breakdown gives people thinking of applying an idea so they can start putting the budget together for their immigration journey.
Keep in mind – I immigrated under the self-employed category as a writer. Other categories or provincial nominee programs (PNP) may have additional costs I didn’t encounter.
This post may contain affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. Read full disclosure HERE.
Related Content
Is Canadian Immigration Expensive? Here’s How Much it Cost Me?
This is the cost for one person. Assume for a couple or a family, it gets increasingly expensive. Note – a few of the costs in my table have also increased since I applied.
You can check out the current fees for your intended category HERE. The good thing about these costs is they aren’t required all at once.
The costs were spread out over the 5 years approx. for me so I guess you’ll have time to save for it. But as you can see, immigrating to Canada and becoming a Canadian citizen is not a cheap venture.
You can choose to not apply for citizenship and just keep renewing your PR card every five years but I explained why that is probably not a good strategy in this article.
Do You Regret Moving to Canada?
A few people have asked me if I regret moving to Canada but I don’t think about things in that way.
Before immigrating to Canada, I factored in all the pros and cons before I started the process and already knew what I was going to be dealing with before I got here minus the cold. Nothing can really prepare you for that one. Lol.
My final goal justified the move and that was why I went ahead irrespective of what I would experience along the way.
Everybody’s experience will be different which is why it’s important to do your own pros and cons list and decide if the payoff is worth it before you make a final decision.
Am I going to live in Canada forever?
If you’ve read What Countries Can A Canadian PR Card Take You To? 26 Visa on Arrival Countries, you know I’m an adventurer. Now that I have my Canadian passport, I’m already on the lookout for my next adventure.
If you have any questions about the immigration process and/or becoming a Canadian citizen, drop them in the comments section.
Abi has lived and worked abroad for over 13 years. She loves traveling, reading, and writing. She is a big believer in following your dreams and has been marching to the beat of her unconventional drums for a long time. She funds her adventures by making smart financial decisions and investing wisely. Her top personal finance tools include trading with Questrade, investing change on MOKA, and no-fee banking with Tangerine and Neo Financial. Learn more about Abi HERE.
This post may contain affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. Read full disclosure HERE.