Chinese immigration certificate from Library and Archives Canada showing head tax payment.

July 20, 1885, Canada introduced the Chinese Head Tax, requiring Chinese immigrants to pay a fee to enter. It aimed to limit immigration after their railway work. The tax, initially $50, rose to $500 by 1903, devastating families and preventing reunification until the 1923 Exclusion Act replaced it, almost completely banning Chinese immigration until 1947. This policy inflicted severe hardship and discrimination, profoundly impacting the Chinese Canadian community's formation and legacy, leaving a lasting mark of injustice that took decades to formally acknowledge and address.