Skip to main content
Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca← Back to IRPA ExplorerLast verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca
PART 3: Enforcement
§117

Penalties — fewer than 10 persons

Penalties — fewer than 10 persons

Family Sponsorship
🍁 In Simple Terms

Defines who qualifies as a member of the family class for sponsorship purposes, spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, parents, grandparents, and other relatives.

Affects: Persons subject to removal or detention
Legal Text: IRPA Section 117

(1)No person shall organize, induce, aid or abet the coming into Canada of one or more persons knowing that, or being reckless as to whether, their coming into Canada is or would be in contravention of this Act.

Minimum penalty — fewer than 50 persons

(3.1)A person who is convicted on indictment of an offence under subsection (2) or (3) with respect to fewer than 50 persons is also liable to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of (a)three years, if either(i)the person, in committing the offence, endangered the life or safety of, or caused bodily harm or death to, any of the persons with respect to whom the offence was committed, or(ii)the commission of the offence was for profit, or was for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization or terrorist group; or (b)five years, if both(i)the person, in committing the offence, endangered the life or safety of, or caused bodily harm or death to, any of the persons with respect to whom the offence was committed, and(ii)the commission of the offence was for profit, or was for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization or terrorist group.

Minimum penalty — 50 persons or more

(3.2)A person who is convicted of an offence under subsection (3) with respect to a group of 50 persons or more is also liable to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of (a)five years, if either(i)the person, in committing the offence, endangered the life or safety of, or caused bodily harm or death to, any of the persons with respect to whom the offence was committed, or(ii)the commission of the offence was for profit, or was for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization or terrorist group; or (b)10 years, if both(i)the person, in committing the offence, endangered the life or safety of, or caused bodily harm or death to, any of the persons with respect to whom the offence was committed, and(ii)the commission of the offence was for profit, or was for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a criminal organization or terrorist group.

No proceedings without consent

(4)No proceedings for an offence under this section may be instituted except by or with the consent of the Attorney General of Canada.

In Practice
Official Source: Justice Canada: IRPA s. 117 (authoritative, may differ from this display)
Explore More Sections
Browse all 296 sections of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Explore More Sections