The Chinese Head Tax

The Canadian parliament passed the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 which was meant to discourage Chinese people from entering Canada after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The Federal Government imposed The Chinese Head Tax, a $50 tax imposed on every person of Chinese background entering the country, no other groups were forced to pay in this tax.

In 1900 the Head Tax was increased to $100, and to $500 in 1902, the equivalent of two years wages of Chinese workers at the time.

The tax was abolished by the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, which stopped Chinese Immigration altogether.