How much does a Canada work visa cost?

Government fees are about $190 for the CUSMA Professional Work Permit, $1,100–$1,110 for the Express Entry, and $1,220 for the Home Care Worker Pilot (USD equivalents; fees can differ by nationality). Translations, medicals, and courier costs come on top.

How long does a Canada visa take to process?

Typical processing is 1–16 weeks for the CUSMA Professional Work Permit, 24–40 weeks for the Express Entry, 20–40 weeks for the Home Care Worker Pilot, and 6–20 weeks for the Study Permit, plus the time needed to gather documents.

Can I move to Canada without a job offer?

Yes. The Express Entry and Study Permit do not require a job offer from an employer in Canada.

Which Canada visas lead to permanent residency?

The CUSMA Professional Work Permit, Express Entry, and Home Care Worker Pilot offer a path to permanent residency after the qualifying period.

🇨🇦 Canada visas: requirements, costs, and processing times

Last verified: September 6, 2026

We track 4 Canada visa routes: CUSMA Professional Work Permit, Express Entry, Home Care Worker Pilot, and Study Permit. Each is verified against the official government source for Indians, Mexicans, Nigerians, Filipinos, and Americans.

Compare Canada visa costs and processing times

Visa	Gov. fee	Processing	Min. income	Job offer
CUSMA Professional Work Permitwork	$190	1–16 weeks	—	Required
Express Entrywork	$1,100–$1,110	24–40 weeks	—	Not required
Home Care Worker Pilotwork	$1,220	20–40 weeks	—	Required
Study Permitstudy	$110	6–20 weeks	—	Not required

Amounts are approximate US dollar equivalents. A range means the figure differs by nationality.

Canada visa types

CUSMA Professional Work Permit

work

The fastest legal route into Canada available to any nationality, and most Americans do not know it exists. If you are a US citizen with a Canadian job offer in one of the 60-plus listed professions — engineers, accountants, scientists, computer systems analysts, architects, several health roles — you can present your documents at the port of entry and walk out with a work permit the same day, typically in one to four hours. No LMIA, no advertising requirement, no pre-approval, no months of waiting. Permits issue for up to three years and extend in three-year increments. One hard limit: this requires US citizenship, so green card holders do not qualify no matter how long they have lived in the States.

Express Entry

work

Points-based permanent residency for skilled workers — no job offer required. Candidates enter the Express Entry pool and are ranked by CRS score (age, education, language, experience). Requires proof of funds of CAD 15,263 (single applicant, 2026) and total federal fees of CAD 1,525 including the Right of PR fee.

Home Care Worker Pilot

work

⚠ Intake PAUSED since 19 Dec 2025 with no announced reopening — verify status on canada.ca before planning around it. When open, the pilot grants permanent residence ON ARRIVAL for caregivers with CLB 4 English, a high-school credential (ECA), 6 months' relevant experience or training, and a full-time job offer (no LMIA needed). IRCC fees about CAD 1,675. Caps have filled within days of opening.

Study Permit

study

For students accepted at a designated learning institution (DLI). Most college and undergraduate applicants also need a provincial attestation letter (PAL/TAL); master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt since Jan 2026. Show CAD 20,635 in living funds (a GIC is the standard route) plus full first-year tuition on top.

Canada visa guides by nationality

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Frequently asked questions

How much does a Canada work visa cost?: Government fees are about $190 for the CUSMA Professional Work Permit, $1,100–$1,110 for the Express Entry, and $1,220 for the Home Care Worker Pilot (USD equivalents; fees can differ by nationality). Translations, medicals, and courier costs come on top.
How long does a Canada visa take to process?: Typical processing is 1–16 weeks for the CUSMA Professional Work Permit, 24–40 weeks for the Express Entry, 20–40 weeks for the Home Care Worker Pilot, and 6–20 weeks for the Study Permit, plus the time needed to gather documents.
Can I move to Canada without a job offer?: Yes. The Express Entry and Study Permit do not require a job offer from an employer in Canada.
Which Canada visas lead to permanent residency?: The CUSMA Professional Work Permit, Express Entry, and Home Care Worker Pilot offer a path to permanent residency after the qualifying period.

Always confirm requirements with the official government source linked on each visa page. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Browse visas for other countries.