Repayment of loans

Loan recipients must begin repaying their loan no later than 12 months after the travellers arrive in Canada for transportation loans (that is, the Loan for Transportation to Canada and the In-Canada Transportation Loan), and no later than 12 months after the issuance of the Assistance Loan or RPRF Loan.

Depending on the total amount borrowed under the ILP, amounts must be repaid within the following periods:

• 36 months (3 years), if the loan amount is not more than $1,200
• 48 months (4 years), if the loan amount is more than $1,200 but not more than $2,400
• 60 months (5 years), if the loan amount is more than $2,400 but not more than $3,600
• 72 months (6 years), if the loan amount is more than $3,600 but not more than $4,800
• 96 months (8 years), if the loan amount is more than $4,800

IRCC establishes a loan account in the name of the loan recipient, generally using the unique client identifier (UCI) as the account number. IRCC sends an ILP loan statement to the loan recipient that includes the total loan amount and the minimum monthly payment required.

For the Loan for Transportation to Canada, several months may lapse before a loan account is established, as IRCC must receive the invoice from the agency that incurred transportation costs on behalf of the travellers. No payment can be received by IRCC until the loan account is established.

Payments must be made in Canadian funds. A loan recipient can make loan payments using any of the following methods of payment:

• Online with a debit or credit card
• Online banking
  • The payee is “Citizenship and Immigration Canada Loans”
• in person at a bank

Under special circumstances, an IRCC Collection Services agent may grant a deferral of loan payments, a variation of payments or an extension of the repayment period.

If a loan recipient is unable to make full, regular loan payments, they must contact Collection Services as soon as possible.

A loan recipient must notify Collection Services of their email and/or mailing address as soon as possible, and within 10 days of any change of address.

An IRCC office in Canada that receives any new information on a loan recipient’s change of address should notify Collection Services as soon as possible.

If loan recipients miss more than 3 consecutive monthly loan payments, they will be considered in default. As a result, applications they submit under the family class (FC) of the Permanent Residence Program or under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program, may be refused. Their ILP loan account information will also be shared with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which may retain the owing amount from their income tax returns, GST credits and/or any other credit managed by CRA until the loan balance is paid in full.

An IRCC office in Canada that receives any new information on a loan recipient’s change of address should notify Collection Services as soon as possible.

In the event of the death of a loan recipient, family members of the deceased should send a death certificate to Collection Services. If an IRCC office is notified of the death of a loan recipient, they should immediately notify Collection Services.

If an IRCC office is notified that a loan recipient with an outstanding ILP loan balance has left Canada permanently, the office must send an email to Collection Services and include the loan recipient’s UCI and new address (if known).

IRCC Collection Services may be contacted by telephone or email:

• Telephone:
  • Toll-free: 1-800-667-7301
    Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET)
• Email: collection@cic.gc.ca

For instructions on all ILP loans, see the ILP Main Page.