Pricing Immigration Services in 2026: A Firm Owner's Guide
Hourly billing is dead in immigration. Clients want certainty, not a meter running. Here is the 2026 pricing playbook used by firms doing $1M+ ARR with 2-5 consultants.
Why hourly billing kills your firm
Hourly punishes efficiency. Get faster with templates and AI? You earn less. Hourly also creates client friction — every call, email, and "quick question" goes on the bill. Conversion rates on hourly proposals are 30-50% below fixed-fee.
The 3-tier productized package
Tier 1 (Self-serve, $500-$1,500): document checklist, 1 strategy call, AI eligibility report. Tier 2 (Managed, $3,500-$7,000): full filing, 2 calls, document review, RFE coverage. Tier 3 (White-glove, $9,000-$25,000): family case, multiple filings, expedited support, dedicated paralegal. Three tiers convert 2-3x better than a single quote.
Value-based pricing for premium visas
For EB1A, O-1, Global Talent — visas tied to a $200k+ salary outcome — charge 5-15% of the first-year value. Clients gladly pay $15,000-$25,000 when the alternative is a $400k green card delay. Hourly would have charged them $4,000.
Payment plans without losing margin
Offer 3-month installments via Stripe — at a 7% premium. Most clients pick the plan, your AOV goes up, and you avoid the discount-trap of "monthly subscriptions" for one-time work.
How to raise prices without losing clients
Quarterly 8-12% bumps, grandfathered for in-progress cases. Communicate via a one-paragraph email tying the rise to new compliance costs and policy complexity. Less than 3% of clients churn — and gross margin jumps 20%.
2026 retainer benchmarks by visa category (USD)
| Visa category | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family / spousal sponsorship | $2,800 | $4,400 | $6,500 |
| Skilled worker (Canada Express Entry) | $3,500 | $5,200 | $8,500 |
| Australia 189 / 190 / 491 | $4,000 | $6,800 | $11,000 |
| UK Skilled Worker | $3,200 | $5,500 | $9,000 |
| US H-1B (employer-paid) | $2,500 | $4,000 | $7,500 |
| EB-2 NIW | $8,000 | $13,000 | $22,000 |
| EB-1A / O-1 | $15,000 | $20,000 | $28,000 |
| Investor (E-2, EB-5, Golden Visa) | $12,000 | $22,000 | $45,000 |
| Citizenship by Investment (CBI) | $18,000 | $32,000 | $60,000 |
Pricing model comparison
| Model | Avg close rate | Margin | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | 14% | 48% | Litigation / appeals only |
| Fixed-fee single tier | 28% | 62% | Single visa boutique |
| 3-tier productized | 46% | 74% | Volume firms |
| Value-based % of salary | 38% | 81% | EB1A / O-1 / executive |
| Subscription / retainer | 22% | 69% | Corporate / HR partners |
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Frequently asked questions
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