Between 1886 and 1914, Canada received over two million immigrants

Between 1886 and 1914, Canada received over two million immigrants. The majority of them were from Eastern Europe. The government weled these people by offering them free farmland in the West. However, Canada immigration policy was not equal for Asian immigrants. The Canadian government passed two laws to prevent Chinese immigration. In 1885, the Canadian government passed the first law to prevent Chinese immigration. The law forced every Chinese person entering Canada to pay a $50 entry fee. The government introduced this head tax to satisfy Caucasian(高加索人) laborers who felt that Chinese immigrants were peting for their jobs. The head tax was a burden for Chinese immigrants, but it did not prevent them from ing to Canada. For many of these poor Chinese laborers, they could earn more money there than in China. They were willing to borrow the money to pay for the overseas trip and the head tax. The Canadian government raised the head tax to $100 in 1900, then to $500 in 1903. The Canadian government passed its most restrictive immigration law in 1923. That year, the Chinese Immigration Act prevented all Chinese except officers, merchants, and students from entering Canada. The Act was the result of pressure from anti-Asian groups. These groups felt that the head tax was insufficient because Chinese laborers were still ing to Canada. The law effectively stopped Chinese immigration from 1923 to 1947. During the 24-year period, only 44 Chinese entered Canada officially.