Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca← Back to IRPA ExplorerLast verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca

PART 3: Enforcement

§117

Organizing entry into Canada

Family Sponsorship

🍁 In Simple Terms

The human smuggling offence. Organizing, encouraging or helping people come to Canada against this law, knowing that or not caring, is a crime. Under ten people carries up to ten years and a fine of up to $500,000 on a first conviction, and more on a second. Ten people or more carries up to life imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000,000, with mandatory minimum sentences where lives were endangered or profit or a criminal group was in the picture.

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.

Penalties — fewer than 10 persons

(2)A person who contravenes subsection (1) with respect to fewer than 10 persons is guilty of an offence and liable (a)on conviction on indictment(i)for a first offence, to a fine of not more than $500,000 or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years, or to both, or(ii)for a subsequent offence, to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 14 years, or to both; and (b)on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $100,000 or to a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, or to both.

Penalty — 10 persons or more

(3)A person who contravenes subsection (1) with respect to a group of 10 persons or more is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction by way of indictment to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to life imprisonment, or to both.

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

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