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CA-K035History

The Chinese head tax introduced in 1885

A modern street scene in Vancouver’s Chinatown; not a photograph of the head-tax era or the 1923 legislation.
A modern street scene in Vancouver’s Chinatown; not a photograph of the head-tax era or the 1923 legislation. Vancouver Chinatown pano · Northwest · Photo source · Photo licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for display; item previews may be cropped. The image remains under the licence shown.
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The federal government introduced a head tax on Chinese immigrants in 1885. This discriminatory measure was distinct from the restrictive Chinese Immigration Act adopted in 1923, which severely limited Chinese immigration.

Scope & context

Distinguish the tax from later exclusion legislation.

Sources behind this record

1
Significant events in Asian Canadian history ↗

Canadian Heritage

Legislation Targeting Chinese Immigrants