Updated · NextMigrate Team
The Real Cost of Migrating Abroad: A Breakdown for Applicants from Developing Countries
Picture yourself as a teacher in Karachi. For two years you have saved a little every month. You skipped the wedding outfit. You said no to the new phone. You looked up the visa fee online, and you thought: I can do this.
Then the other bills arrive. A $260 language test you need to sit again. A $500 skills assessment. An $800-per-year health surcharge you never heard of. A courier bill for notarised transcripts. Then the bank statement test: proof of tens of thousands of dollars in savings before you even board the plane.
It feels like the finish line keeps moving. It does not have to.
The short answer: The visa fee is only a small part of the bill. For a single applicant from a developing country, the mandatory process costs run roughly $1,200 to $9,000, depending on the country. Add flights, a rental deposit and the first months abroad, and Canada or Australia lands around $12,000 to $22,000, on top of settlement funds you must prove. For most people heading to an English-speaking country, the full picture is a $25,000 to $45,000 undertaking.
All figures are in US dollars and reflect published fee schedules as of early 2026. Confirm each amount on the official website before you pay. Choosing between two countries? Our Canada vs Australia comparison looks beyond price.
1. Language tests
In points systems like Canada's Express Entry and Australia's SkillSelect, one higher band can mean the difference between an invitation and years of waiting.
| Test | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| IELTS (General or Academic) | $230 - $265 |
| PTE Academic | $200 - $255 |
| CELPIP (Canada only) | $270 - $300 |
| TEF Canada / TCF Canada (French) | $200 - $360 |
| TOEFL iBT | $200 - $255 |
A retake costs about the same as the first sitting, and many people sit two or three times. Budget at least $500, as a floor.
Two ways to spend less:
- Single-skill retakes. IELTS One Skill Retake lets you resit just one part (listening, reading, writing or speaking) for roughly $100 to $150.
- Pick the right test. For Canada, French results through TEF or TCF can add many Comprehensive Ranking System points and open French-speaker draws. See our IELTS tips for immigration.
Results usually expire after two years, so do not sit the test until you are close to filing.
2. Credential assessment
An approved body checks your degree and work history. A general degree check is cheap. Regulated jobs (nursing, engineering, medicine, teaching, many trades) cost more and take longer.
| Service | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| WES (Canada), document-by-document | $160 - $230 |
| WES, course-by-course evaluation | $220 - $290 |
| VETASSESS (Australia), full skills assessment | $500 - $750 |
| Engineers Australia, CDR assessment | $650 - $950 |
| UK ENIC Statement of Comparability | $110 - $250 |
| Transcript courier, translation and notarisation | $50 - $200 |
- Australian trades assessed by Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) typically cost $300 to $600. Some need a practical test that adds cost and travel.
- Nurses and doctors can pass $1,000 once bridging, exams and registration fees are added. Read how nurses migrate abroad.
- UK-regulated jobs (engineers, healthcare workers) often need a professional body's recognition on top of the ENIC statement. Engineers, see UK visa recognition for international engineers.
Budget: $150 to $1,000+. Get quotes from every approved provider. The same check can differ by a hundred dollars or more.
3. Government visa fees
Canada
| Item | Fee (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| Express Entry PR application (processing fee) | $625 per adult |
| Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) | $400 per adult |
| Biometrics | $63 per person ($123 per family) |
| Dependent child | $170 per child |
A single Express Entry applicant pays roughly $1,090 in core fees plus biometrics. A couple pays around $2,300 to $2,500, before biometrics for any children. See our Canada Express Entry guide for developing countries.
Australia
| Visa Type | Fee (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent) | $2,900 - $3,100 per primary applicant |
| Subclass 190 (State Nominated) | $2,900 - $3,100 per primary applicant |
| Subclass 491 (Regional) | $2,900 - $3,100 per primary applicant |
| Additional applicant aged 18+ | ~$1,500 |
| Additional applicant under 18 | ~$750 |
Australia's fees are among the world's highest and rise most years on 1 July. A family of four on a subclass 189 can expect around $7,500 to $9,000. Missing the English rules can add a second instalment fee. See our Australia skilled migration guide for subclass 189 and 190.
United Kingdom
| Item | Fee (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| Skilled Worker visa (3 years, from outside UK) | $850 - $1,100 |
| Skilled Worker visa (over 3 years) | $1,600 - $2,000 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) | $1,300 per year, per person |
| Biometrics / BRP | Included |
The Immigration Health Surcharge is the UK's hidden giant. Think of it as paying for five years of gym membership on the first day, for every person in the family. At roughly $1,300 per year per adult (less for children and students), paid upfront for the whole visa, a five-year Skilled Worker visa means about $6,500 in IHS per person. A family of four on five-year visas can pay well over $20,000 in surcharge before the visa fee. See our UK Skilled Worker visa guide.
Germany
| Item | Fee (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| National (D) visa application | $80 - $110 |
| EU Blue Card / residence permit issuance | $110 - $160 |
| Residence permit renewal or conversion | $100 - $150 |
Germany is far cheaper on government fees. The catch: you need a recognised qualification, often some German, and a blocked account or proof of funds. See our Germany Job Seeker visa guide and software engineers migrating to Germany or Canada.
United States
| Item | Fee (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| H-1B registration | $215 per registration |
| H-1B petition (Form I-129) | $460 + additional employer fees |
| EB-2 / EB-3 immigrant petition (Form I-140) | $715 |
| Adjustment of status (Form I-485) | $1,440 |
| Diversity Visa (DV) processing, if selected | $330 |
| Asylum Program Fee (employer, per petition) | $600 - $1,200+ |
In the US, most work-visa costs, including the H-1B registration and petition, legally fall on the employer. What falls on you is the Diversity Visa lottery (free to enter; fees only if selected) and family petitions. For the DV, budget for the processing fee, medical and travel, and be honest: the odds are low. See best countries for IT professionals to migrate.
4. Medical exams
Most permanent routes need a medical with an approved panel doctor, not your own GP.
| Country | Approximate Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Canada (panel physician exam) | $150 - $350 |
| Australia (Bupa Medical Visa Services) | $200 - $450 |
| UK (TB test, required nationalities) | $80 - $150 |
| US (civil surgeon / panel physician exam) | $200 - $500 |
Extra tests (X-rays, blood work, specialist follow-ups) cost extra, and vaccinations can add $50 to $200. With a known health condition, budget for the top of the range. See also healthcare costs by country.
5. Police clearance certificates
You need one from every country where you lived as an adult for a significant time, usually six months or more. The certificates are cheap. The real cost is time.
| Country of Origin | Approximate Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | $30 - $60 |
| India (PCC via Passport Seva) | $10 - $20 |
| Pakistan | $15 - $35 |
| Egypt | $20 - $45 |
| Kenya (DCI certificate of good conduct) | $10 - $25 |
| Philippines (NBI clearance) | $10 - $20 |
Some take weeks and need fingerprints or an apostille, which can cost more than the certificate. One late clearance can stall a whole application. Our documents needed to migrate abroad checklist covers timing.
6. Immigration agents and lawyers
| Service | Typical Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Licensed Canadian consultant (RCIC) | $2,000 - $5,000 |
| Registered Australian migration agent (MARA) | $3,000 - $7,000 |
| UK immigration solicitor | $2,000 - $6,000 |
| Full-service agency (based in developing country) | $1,500 - $10,000+ |
The hard truth: for a simple points-based case, you often do not need an agent. Express Entry, SkillSelect and Germany's Blue Card are built for you to apply yourself. Paying $4,000 for someone to fill in forms is money your settlement funds needed. Agents earn their fee on complex cases: past refusals, unusual work histories, family health issues, or hard professional registration.
Warning: some operators are unlicensed and give advice that can ruin an application. Check registration before you pay anything:
- Canada: the CICC (College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants) public register.
- Australia: the OMARA (Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority) register.
- UK: the IAA (Immigration Advice Authority, which replaced the OISC) register.
Never hand over your passport. Never pay large sums in cash without a written contract. Treat any "guaranteed visa" as a red flag. See how to avoid immigration scams and verifying fake overseas job offers.
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See what you get →7. Flights and your first weeks
The visa is only half the spend. The month around your move has no official fee table, so people budget for it badly.
| Expense | Approximate Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| One-way flight (economy, from most developing countries) | $500 - $1,500 |
| Shipping personal belongings | $500 - $3,000 |
| First month's rent + deposit (shared accommodation) | $1,000 - $3,000 |
| Initial groceries and household essentials | $200 - $500 |
| Local transport, SIM, and bank setup | $150 - $400 |
| Winter clothing (Canada, Northern Europe) | $200 - $600 |
| Temporary accommodation while flat-hunting | $400 - $1,500 |
The rental deposit surprises people most: the first month plus a security deposit, sometimes several weeks' rent. Without local history or a guarantor, newcomers often end up in pricier short stays. Our guide to building a credit history from scratch in a new country explains how to escape that trap. Assume your first month costs two to three times a normal month.
Compare shipping with buying new using our guide to what is worth shipping abroad and what is cheaper to sell. A pet routinely runs into four figures; see our itemised cost of relocating a pet, from microchip and titre test to airline and quarantine fees. For the first weeks on the ground, see our settling in Canada first-year guide, the moving abroad with family checklist and the arrival guides.
8. Proof of settlement funds
This is money you must show, not spend: proof you can support yourself before your first payslip.
| Country | Required Funds (USD approx.) |
|---|---|
| Canada (Express Entry, single applicant) | $11,000 - $11,500 |
| Canada (Express Entry, family of 4) | $20,000 - $21,000 |
| Australia (regional/skilled, indicative) | varies by state; budget $15,000+ |
| Germany (blocked account, per year: EUR 11,904 student, EUR 13,092 Opportunity Card) | $13,000 - $15,000 |
| UK (Skilled Worker maintenance) | ~$1,600 held for 28 consecutive days |
- Canada updates its minimums yearly by family size. A valid job offer or existing work authorisation may exempt you. Check the current IRCC table.
- Germany's blocked account (Sperrkonto) is a real deposit you lock away and draw down monthly after you arrive. You will use it, but you need it all upfront.
- The UK amount is small, and can be waived if your employer certifies maintenance, which most do.
Settlement funds are like a safety net you carry with you. You keep it. But you cannot borrow it for a week and hand it back. Most systems want the money in your account for a sustained period, often several months. If your savings keep shrinking, read why your emergency fund keeps shrinking.
Total cost by country
These are the mandatory process costs for a single applicant: language test, assessment, visa and health fees, medical and police checks. They exclude settlement funds (which you keep), flights and optional agent fees.
| Destination | Low Estimate (USD) | High Estimate (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Express Entry) | $2,500 | $5,500 |
| Australia (Subclass 189) | $4,500 | $9,000 |
| UK (Skilled Worker, 3 years) | $3,500 | $8,000 |
| Germany (EU Blue Card) | $1,200 | $3,500 |
| US (DV Lottery, if selected) | $1,200 | $3,000 |
Add flights, shipping, a rental deposit and the first month or two of living costs, and the full out-of-pocket cost for one person reaching Canada or Australia is realistically $12,000 to $22,000, on top of settlement funds. For a family, both numbers climb steeply.
So, honestly: for most people from a developing country, moving to an English-speaking country is a $25,000 to $45,000 undertaking once savings rules and the first months abroad are counted. Germany and other European routes can be much cheaper on fees, though language and qualification recognition cost you time and effort.
How to lower the total
- Apply yourself if your case is simple. Put the agent fee into your settlement funds.
- Prepare well for the language test. A retake is the most common avoidable cost. A month of focused practice is cheaper than a second sitting.
- Compare assessment providers. Get quotes before you pay.
- Time your medicals and police checks. Pay too early and you pay twice.
- Fly off-peak. Late January to March and September to November are usually cheapest for long-haul routes.
- Check for waivers. Some biometric and maintenance rules are waived with a job offer or in-country status. Read the official guidance.
- Start building your funds early. Money must sit in your account for months.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest country to migrate to from a developing country?
On government fees alone, Germany and several other EU countries, where visa and permit fees are often under $250 combined. The trade-offs are language, qualification recognition and a blocked account you fund upfront. Among English-speaking countries, Canada is usually cheaper than Australia or the UK once the UK's Immigration Health Surcharge is counted.
Do I have to pay for an immigration agent?
No. For standard points-based applications (Express Entry, SkillSelect, Germany's Blue Card), you can apply yourself. Agents help most with complex cases. If you hire one, check their licence first.
Is the settlement-funds requirement money I lose?
No. You show it and keep it to live on. But it must sit in your account for a sustained period, so you cannot borrow it briefly. Germany's blocked account is a real deposit you draw down monthly once you move.
Why is the UK so expensive despite a modest visa fee?
The Immigration Health Surcharge. At roughly $1,300 per year per adult, paid upfront for the whole visa, it can be bigger than the visa fee. A five-year visa means around $6,500 in surcharge per person.
How much should I have saved before I start?
As a rule of thumb: the mandatory process costs, plus the required settlement funds, plus three months of living costs in the new country. For one person heading to Canada or Australia, that means realistically $25,000 or more in savings you can access.
Plan your budget
Knowing the full cost upfront is what separates people who make it from people who stall halfway, with fees already paid. Your savings can get you there, with a full budget behind them.
Price your own route with our visa cost calculator. Cutting corners, like an unlicensed agent or a rushed language test, usually costs far more later.
