# Canada Work Permit Fees for Indians (2026): CAD Costs and Biometrics > IRCC charges CAN$155 for a work permit and CAN$85 for biometrics. Here is every fee line, the optional VFS charges in rupees and what the fee does not cover. _Published: 2026-10-16 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1158_ ## TL;DR IRCC's fee list sets the Canada work permit fee at CAN$155 per person and biometrics at CAN$85 per person, capped at CAN$170 for a family applying together. Fees are published only in Canadian dollars; VFS Global's optional services in India are billed separately in INR. ## Key takeaways - Work permit fee (including extensions): CAN$155 per person, paid online to IRCC. - Biometrics: CAN$85 per person, or a maximum of CAN$170 for a family of two or more applying together. - IRCC publishes no official INR amount; the rupee debit depends on your card's conversion. - Giving biometrics at a VFS centre has no separate VAC fee; courier, lounge and transmission services are optional. - IRCC's posted processing time for work permits from India was 11 weeks (data updated October 14, 2026). **According to IRCC's fee list, a Canada work permit costs CAN$155 per person, and biometrics add CAN$85 per person or CAN$170 at most for a family of two or more applying together. IRCC publishes these fees only in Canadian dollars and you pay them online; optional VFS Global services in India are charged separately in INR.** ## Article This breakdown covers each government fee line, the VFS charges you may meet in India, and the costs that never appear on the fee list. Figures are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For the wider picture of visitor, study and work routes, start with our Canada visa guide for Indians. ### What are the IRCC fees for a Canada work permit in 2026? Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sets four fee lines that matter for a work permit application from India: IRCC fee lineAmountWhat it coversWork permit (including extensions) – per personCAN$155Processing of the work permit application, including employer-specific (closed) permitsOpen work permit holderCAN$100A separate line on the fee list; open work permits are only for applicants who qualify under specific programmesBiometrics – per individualCAN$85Fingerprints and digital photo at a Visa Application Centre, plus moving documents between the visa office and the VACBiometrics – per family of 2 or moreCAN$170Maximum biometrics fee when family members apply at the same timeMost Indians who receive a job offer apply for an employer-specific permit tied to one employer, so the CAN$155 processing fee and the CAN$85 biometrics fee are the two lines nearly every applicant pays. If you think you qualify for an open work permit, read the IRCC fee list to see which lines your application triggers before you pay. ### How much is a Canada work permit fee in rupees? There is no official rupee figure. IRCC publishes its visa, permit and biometrics fees in Canadian dollars only, and you pay online by card. The amount debited in INR depends on the conversion applied to your card on the day you pay, so any fixed rupee number quoted by an agent is an estimate, not an IRCC fee. Rupee prices do exist on the VFS Global side, because VFS bills its optional services in INR at the centre. ### Which VFS Global charges might you pay in India? VFS Global is the Government of Canada's exclusive service provider for the ten Visa Application Centres in India. Giving biometrics there carries no separate VAC fee: the CAN$85 IRCC fee covers fingerprints, the photo and one package transmission between IRCC and that VAC. Booking a biometrics appointment is free. Optional VFS India charges, effective 1 May 2026, including taxes and payable at the VAC in INR by cash or UPI, are non-refundable: Optional VFS serviceChargePackage transmission (e.g. biometrics at one VAC, documents at another)INR 604 (CAD 10.13) per packageAssisted service – paper applicationINR 529 (CAD 8.87)One-way courier for passport returnINR 858 (CAD 14.40)Two-way courierINR 1,716 (CAD 28.80)Premium LoungeINR 4,767 (CAD 79.99)SMS updatesINR 179 (CAD 3.00)VFS has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026. The new amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026, so check the VFS Canada India service-charges page before your appointment. ### What if your spouse or children apply at the same time? Each family member's application carries its own fee from the same IRCC list. For example, a study permit costs CAN$150 per person and a visitor visa CAN$100 per person (capped at CAN$500 for a family of five or more applying together). The biometrics cap of CAN$170 applies when the family applies at the same time. Which permit each family member is eligible for depends on IRCC's own rules, so confirm that on IRCC's pages before paying. ### Which costs sit outside the IRCC fee list? - The job offer and LMIA: most jobs need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, and your employer must give you the LMIA letter and Annex A unless the job is LMIA-exempt. The LMIA is the employer's process; the fees above do not include it. - Proof of funds: IRCC asks you to show enough money to support yourself and your family during the stay and to return home, pointing to low income cut-offs as a general reference. - Employer check: the job offer must come from an employer who is not on IRCC's list of non-compliant employers. Check that list before you apply and pay. ### How long does a decision take after you pay? IRCC's processing-times data put work permits applied for from outside Canada by Indian applicants at 11 weeks (last updated October 14, 2026). IRCC told a parliamentary committee in April 2026 that posted times look backward and do not reflect actual processing times, and applications needing more information take longer. After you submit online, wait for IRCC's biometric instruction letter. Since 24 February 2026, VFS India's appointment system requires you to upload that letter when booking. The ten VACs are in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune. ### What does IRCC's approval figure actually measure? An IRCC briefing note prepared for a parliamentary committee (SECU, 30 April 2026) gives an 82% approval rate for work permit applications from all nationalities in calendar year 2026 up to February 28, 2026, against 54% for visitor visas and 38% for study permits in the same period. IRCC does not publish an India-only figure on that page. Treat the number as a record of past decisions across all countries, not as a forecast for your file. ### Mistakes to avoid - Paying biometrics separately for each family member when you apply together and could use the CAN$170 family maximum. - Choosing to give biometrics and submit documents at different centres without realising the INR 604 transmission charge applies. - Treating an agent's rupee quote as the official fee. - Paying before checking that your employer is not on the non-compliant list. For any visitor or business trip that needs travel paperwork, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or get in touch. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is the Canada biometrics fee paid at the VFS centre? No. The CAN$85 biometrics fee is paid online to IRCC with your application. VFS Global charges nothing extra for giving biometrics, and booking the biometrics appointment is free. #### Does the CAN$155 work permit fee also apply to extensions? Yes. IRCC's fee list shows the work permit fee as CAN$155 per person including extensions. #### Will VFS Canada service charges in India change in November 2026? VFS India has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, but the amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026. Until then, the charges effective 1 May 2026 apply, such as INR 858 for one-way passport courier. #### Where do Indians give biometrics for a Canada work permit? At one of the ten VFS Global Visa Application Centres in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune. Book only after IRCC sends your biometric instruction letter, because VFS asks you to upload it when booking. ## FAQ ### Is the Canada biometrics fee paid at the VFS centre? No. The CAN$85 biometrics fee is paid online to IRCC with your application. VFS Global charges nothing extra for giving biometrics, and booking the biometrics appointment is free. ### Does the CAN$155 work permit fee also apply to extensions? Yes. IRCC's fee list shows the work permit fee as CAN$155 per person including extensions. ### Will VFS Canada service charges in India change in November 2026? VFS India has announced new service charges from 1 November 2026, but the amounts were not published as of 15 October 2026. Until then, the charges effective 1 May 2026 apply, such as INR 858 for one-way passport courier. ### Where do Indians give biometrics for a Canada work permit? At one of the ten VFS Global Visa Application Centres in India: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune. Book only after IRCC sends your biometric instruction letter, because VFS asks you to upload it when booking. ## Sources 1. [IRCC - Fee list](https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 2. [VFS Global - Canada VAC service charges India (effective 1 May 2026)](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/can/service-charges) — VFS Global 3. [IRCC - Employer-specific work permits](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employer-specific.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 4. [IRCC - SECU committee note: Management of Expired and Cancelled Visas (April 30, 2026)](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/committees/secu-apr-30-2026/management-expired-cancelled-visas.html) — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada