LICO Table 2020 – Low Income Cut-Off Canada
| Note: Click here for LICO 2024 tables. |
Laureano is a Barbadian citizen who is a 31-year-old mechanical engineer. Upon completing his master’s degree, he started working for a manufacturing firm five years ago. Also, Laureano and his wife have great education credentials and knowledge of the English language. Consequently, they intend to immigrate to Canada under the Express Entry system. However, Laureano has heard he needs to show proof of funds when he immigrates to Canada. Someone told him the settlement funds he shows need to match the LICO table 2020. As a result, Laureano wonders what LICO is and how he can prove the settlement funds.
Immigrants to Canada need to show they intend to live in our country independently and without using social assistance [note to practitioners – see A39]. Of course, there are many ways to confirm you want to be an independent newcomer to Canada. For example, an immigration officer may consider your skills, work experience, educational credentials and your assets. Nonetheless, one of the options to prove your ability to be independent is the settlement funds. If you wonder, settlement funds refer to the amount of money you can bring to Canada when you land as a newcomer. Immigration authorities use the LICO table as a tool to evaluate the sufficiency of settlement funds.
- What is LICO?
- Where LICO is useful
- LICO table 2020
- Comparing 12-month LICO over the years
- Comparing 6-month LICO over the years
- Questions about LICO or immigration matters to Canada
What is LICO?
The low-income cut-off (LICO) table represents the poverty line in urban areas of Canada, with a population of 500,000 or more. In other words, if your income is below LICO, you are poor. LICO changes every year due to inflation. The first table on this page shows LICO for those people who intend to immigrate to Canada in 2020. Your settlement funds need to be equal to or higher than the values of this table. Of course, you need to consider your family size. Please note that this table is not valid for parental sponsorship. If you need to know the minimum necessary income for parental sponsorship, read the following article.
Where LICO is useful
Many immigration options consider LICO as a tool for the financial status of an application. For example, consider the following immigration options:
- Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) – 6-month LICO
- Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) – 6-month LICO
- Sponsoring family members other than spouses, parents, or children – 12-month LICO
- Start-up visa – 6-month LICO
Of course, these are just some examples. Additional federal or provincial immigration options may also consider LICO as a tool for evaluating the financial status of applicants.
LICO table 2020
The following table shows LICO for the year 2020.
| Size of Family Unit |
LICO – 12 Months |
LICO – 6 Months |
| one person | $25,920 | $12,960 |
| two persons | $32,899 | $16,135 |
| three persons | $40,445 | $19,836 |
| four persons | $49,106 | $24,083 |
| five persons | $55,695 | $27,315 |
| six persons | $62,814 | $30,806 |
| seven persons | $69,935 | $34,299 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add |
$7,121 | $3,492 |
Most immigration options, like the Federal Skilled Worker Program, require proof of funds based on a 6-month LICO. Keep in mind, I have done my best to show the correct figures, but the numbers I have presented here are not the official numbers. Consequently, consult with other sources as well.
Note that funds need to be unencumbered, meaning you can easily have access to them. No strings attached! Consult with your immigration representative or the IRCC website for how you could prove you have access to these funds.
Comparing 12-month LICO over the years
The following table reflects the 12-month LICO for 2018, 2019 and 2020.
| Size of Family Unit |
2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| one person | $24,950 | $25,338 | $25,920 |
| two persons | $31,062 | $31,544 | $32,899 |
| three persons | $38,186 | $38,780 | $40,445 |
| four persons | $46,362 | $47,084 | $49,106 |
| five persons | $52,584 | $53,402 | $55,695 |
| six persons | $59,304 | $60,228 | $62,814 |
| seven persons | $66,028 | $67,056 | $69,935 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add |
$6,722 | $6,828 | $7,121 |
Comparing 6-month LICO over the years
The following table reflects the 6-month LICO for 2018, 2019 and 2020.
| Size of Family Unit |
2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| one person | $12,475 | $12,669 | $12,960 |
| two persons | $15,531 | $15,772 | $16,135 |
| three persons | $19,093 | $19,390 | $19,836 |
| four persons | $23,181 | $23,542 | $24,083 |
| five persons | $26,292 | $26,701 | $27,315 |
| six persons | $29,652 | $30,114 | $30,806 |
| seven persons | $33,014 | $33,528 | $34,299 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add |
$3,361 | $3,414 | $3,492 |
Questions about LICO or immigration matters to Canada
If you have any questions about LICO or other issues related to immigration, fill out the following form. We will get back to you as quickly as we can.
Updated October 12, 2020
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Al Parsai, LLM, MA, RCIC-IRB
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Adjunct Professor, Queen’s University Faculty of Law
Instructor, Ashton College, Immigration Consulting Program
Author of 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada and Inadmissibility to Canada for Human Rights Violations
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