Penalty Info

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Immigration offencesVerified against official source

Verified against official source

This range was checked against the official legal text. Last verified: 2026-10-19.

Statutory range

IRPA s. 117(2) — organizing entry, fewer than 10 persons — indictable

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 10 years (1st) / 0–14 years (subsequent), plus s. 117(3.1) minimums where applicable
Fine
Fine $0–$500,000 (1st) / $0–$1,000,000 (subsequent)

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

IRPA s. 117(2) — organizing entry, fewer than 10 persons — summary conviction

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 years
Fine
Fine $0–$100,000

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

IRPA s. 117(3) — organizing entry, 10 persons or more — indictable

Imprisonment
Life, plus s. 117(3.1)/(3.2) minimums where applicable
Fine
Fine $0–$1,000,000

IRPA s. 128 — misrepresentation / counselling misrepresentation — indictable

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
Fine
Fine $0–$100,000

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Covers contraventions of ss. 126–127.

IRPA s. 128 — misrepresentation / counselling misrepresentation — summary conviction

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 2 years
Fine
Fine $0–$50,000

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Citizenship Act s. 29(2) — misuse of another's citizenship document; permitting misuse; possessing unlawfully issued/altered/counterfeit document

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 5 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Indictable only.

Citizenship Act s. 29(3) — unlawfully issuing/providing/altering, counterfeiting, using, or trafficking in citizenship documents

Imprisonment
0 (no mandatory prison) – 14 years
Fine
No fine stated

0 = the law sets no minimum prison term. The court is not required to impose prison. Depending on the offence, jurisdiction, and case, it may instead impose a non-custodial sentence — e.g. a suspended sentence, community order / probation, a fine, or a discharge.

Indictable only.

Note on this entry

IRPA s. 117 minimums: fewer than 50 persons — 3 years if either endangerment/harm or profit/criminal-organization/terrorist-group element is present, 5 years if both; 50 or more persons — 5 years if either element, 10 years if both. No proceedings under s. 117 without the consent of the Attorney General of Canada.

Source

Statute
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ss. 117, 127–128; Citizenship Act s. 29
Official source
laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Verification status
Last verified
2026-10-19
Not legal advice. This range is the statutory penalty as written in the law — it is not “your sentence.” What is NOT accounted for here: Priors beyond tier, attempt, concurrence, plea, discretion, parole rules, ancillary orders, removal / admissibility consequences. If you face a real charge, consult a licensed lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.