History of Chinese immigration to Canada

Part of a series on
Canadian citizenship
Immigration Immigration to Canada History of immigration to Canada Canada immigration statistics Economic impact of immigration Permanent resident card Temporary residency Provincial Nomination Program
Nationality History of nationality law Citizenship Test Oath of Citizenship Citizenship Passports Honorary citizenship Commonwealth citizen
Legislation Immigration Act, 1869 Citizenship Act, 1946 Citizenship Act, 1976 Immigration Act, 1976 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act Canadian immigration and refugee law
Agencies Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Canada Border Services Agency Immigration and Refugee Board Public Safety Canada
Issues Lost Canadians "Canadians of convenience"
Demographics Demographics of Canada Canadians Canadian identity Population by year Ethnic origins
Canada portal
v t e

Chinese immigrants began settling in Canada in the 1780s.^[1] The major periods of Chinese immigration would take place from 1858 to 1923 and 1947 to the present day, reflecting changes in the Canadian government's immigration policy.

Chinese immigrants were initially sought after by Canadian employers as a source of cheap labour due to Canada's relative wealth at the time and the difficult economic conditions in China. Between 1880 and 1885, the primary work for Chinese labourers in Canada was on the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but records of Chinese immigration start more than a century earlier.^[1]