How much does immigrating to Canada from Cameroon cost? The budget item by item (2026)
IRCC fees, language test, WES assessment, medical exam, biometrics, proof of funds, flights: the real budget of immigrating to Canada from Cameroon.
How much does immigrating to Canada cost? is the first question we are asked at the firm, even before do I have a chance? The honest answer comes in two currencies: Canadian dollars for what the Government of Canada requires, and CFA francs for what is paid in Cameroon. Here is the complete budget for permanent residence through Express Entry, item by item, with the amounts currently in force.
The official IRCC fees (schedule of 30 April 2026)
They are paid online, on the IRCC portal, never to an intermediary. Processing fee: 990 CAD for the principal applicant, 990 CAD for the spouse, 270 CAD per dependent child. Right of permanent residence fee: 600 CAD for the principal applicant and 600 CAD for the spouse, payable before the visa is issued; dependent children do not pay it. Biometrics: 85 CAD per person aged 14 and over, capped at 170 CAD per family.
A single person therefore pays 990 + 600 + 85 = 1 675 CAD. A couple with one child: 990 + 990 + 270 + 600 + 600 + 170 = 3 620 CAD.
The language test
The TCF Canada costs 226 000 CFA francs at the Institut français in Douala or Yaoundé, and 210 000 CFA francs at the Alliances françaises in Buea, Bamenda, Garoua, Maroua and Ngaoundéré, for the four components, per adult. A spouse who wants to bring points to the application takes their own test. Add serious preparation: this is the item that earns the most points per franc spent. All the more so since the Prépa TCF topics come up again at the exam: working through all of them, in full, maximises your chances on test day. It is online, with 8 free topics to try: /en/prepa-tcf.html
The Educational Credential Assessment (WES)
The Educational Credential Assessment by WES costs 264 CAD per person assessed (about 108 000 CFA francs), excluding tax and delivery of the paper report. You also pay your university to certify, authenticate and send your documents: 31 500 CFA francs per document at the University of Douala, 25 000 CFA francs at other universities. The full process, organisation by organisation, is set out here: /en/check-list.html#equivalence
The medical exam
It is done with the IOM in Cameroon, after the invitation. August 2026 schedule: 112 890 CFA francs per adult, 88 375 CFA francs per youth, 62 715 CFA francs per child. The IOM revises this schedule every month; our How much does it cost tool applies the current month's schedule.
Biometrics, the police certificate, the small costs
Biometrics (85 CAD, counted above) are given at the visa application centre in Yaoundé. Add the travel there. The police certificate, compliant photographs, certified copies and any translations amount to a few tens of thousands of francs. These are small sums, but a missing document costs months. In Cameroon, the police certificate is issued by the Judicial Police in Yaoundé, after Bulletin No. 3: /en/article/certificat-police-cameroun-ircc-entree-express
Proof of funds: money to show, not to spend
Unless you are authorised to work in Canada and have a valid job offer there, or you apply through the Canadian Experience Class, you must prove that you have funds to settle: a little over 15 000 CAD for a single person, about 19 000 CAD for two, 23 000 CAD for three (2025 schedule, revised each year by IRCC). At the 16 September 2026 exchange rate, that comes to about 6.2 million CFA francs for a single person. If your funds are held in a microfinance institution, the site's directory lists 384 approved ones: /en/check-list.html#adresses This money must be available and supported by official letters from your banks; it remains yours. The amount in CFA francs at today's rate: /check-list.html#couts
Departure
A Douala–Montréal or Douala–Toronto plane ticket ranges between 600 000 and 900 000 CFA francs per adult in economy class, depending on the airline and the season. Plan for your first month on the ground: housing, transport, phone.
What about the total?
If you go it alone, the total depends on too many factors for us to put a figure on it: add up the items that apply to you. Proof of funds is added as a sum you must have, not spend. For a couple with one child, double the personal items and count 3 620 CAD in IRCC fees.
What professional support costs
With us, a one-off consultation costs 30 000 CFA francs, checking a suspicious link or offer 10 000 CFA francs, and the full procedure starts from 3 500 000 CFA francs; support packages are quoted free of charge.
Calculate your budget at today's exchange rate, person by person: /check-list.html#couts — and have your profile assessed free of charge: /evaluation.html