LICO Table 2023 – Low-Income Cut-Off for immigration to Canada
| NOTE: The LICO 2023 article and table are guidelines for those who wish to immigrate to Canada. However, you may refer to this article for other purposes. |
Immigrants to Canada must 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 in Canada. Regardless, the LICO table is an essential tool to serve this purpose.
Table of contents
What is LICO?
The low-income cut-off (LICO) table for immigration purposes represents the poverty line in Canada’s urban areas with a population of half a million or more. In other words, you are poor if your income is below LICO. Statistics Canada updates the LICO table every year based on the inflation rate.
Settlement funds versus annual income
An immigration officer may consider your skills, work experience, educational credentials, and assets to verify financial admissibility. Nonetheless, settlement funds are one of the main options to prove your ability to be independent. Of course, settlement funds refer to the money you can bring to Canada when you land as a newcomer. Immigration authorities use the LICO table to evaluate the sufficiency of settlement funds. Consider reading the following article for more information on settlement funds.
you cannot rely on settlement funds when sponsoring a family member via a family reunification option; Since you are financially sponsoring your loved ones, you usually need to show a steady income. Therefore, your income becomes more important than the money you have in your bank account. Of course, you may read the following articles for more information:
The LICO table 2023 is a point of reference for sponsorship income too.
Where LICO is useful
You may use the LICO 2023 table for settlement funds and the necessary annual income. Here are some examples.
- Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC) – The 6-month LICO for settlement funds
- Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) – The 6-month LICO for settlement funds
- Sponsoring family members other than spouses, parents, or children – The12-month LICO for the minimum necessary income
- Start-up visa – The 6-month LICO for settlement funds
Of course, these are just some examples. Additional federal or provincial immigration options may also consider LICO 2022 to evaluate applicants’ financial status. Consequently, in some immigration options, such as the Federal Self-employed class, LICO could help even though settlement funds are not an explicit assessment factor. Consider reading the following article for more information:
LICO table 2023
The following table shows LICO for 2023*. As you see, the LICO changes based on the household number.
| Size of Family Unit | LICO – 12 Months | LICO – 6 Months |
| one person | $28,217 | $14,109 |
| two persons | $35,128 | $17,564 |
| three persons | $43,187 | $21,593 |
| four persons | $52,434 | $26,217 |
| five persons | $59,470 | $29,735 |
| six persons | $67,073 | $33,536 |
| seven persons | $74,675 | $37,337 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add | $7,602 | $3,801 |
*For the 6-month LICO, I used the IRCC website table (updated May 11, 2022) and then multiplied the numbers by 1.06 to account for the six percent inflation rate. For the 12-month LICO, I multiplied the 6-month values by 2. While these projections could be close to the official numbers, I’ll replace them with the official figures when IRCC publishes them.
Like the Federal Skilled Worker Program, most immigration options require proof of funds based on a 6-month LICO. Keep in mind that I have done my best to show the correct figures, but the values I have presented here are not official numbers. Consequently, consult with other sources as well.
Comparing 12-month LICO over the years
The following table reflects the 12-month LICO from 2018 to 2023. Of course, this is an effort to show you the changes in LICO over the years.
| Size of Family Unit | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| one person | $24,950 | $25,338 | $25,921 | $26,426 | $26,620 | $28,217 |
| two persons | $31,062 | $31,544 | $32,270 | $32,898 | $33,140 | $35,128 |
| three persons | $38,186 | $38,780 | $39,672 | $40,444 | $40,742 | $43,187 |
| four persons | $46,362 | $47,084 | $48,167 | $49,106 | $49,466 | $52,434 |
| five persons | $52,584 | $53,402 | $54,630 | $55,694 | $56,104 | $59,470 |
| six persons | $59,304 | $60,228 | $61,613 | $62,814 | $63,276 | $67,073 |
| seven persons | $66,028 | $67,056 | $68,598 | $69,934 | $70,448 | $74,675 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add | $6,722 | $6,828 | $6,985 | $7,120 | $7,172 | $7,602 |
Comparing 6-month LICO over the years
The following table reflects the 6-month LICO from 2018 to 2023. Of course, this is an effort to show you the changes in LICO over the years.
| Size of Family Unit | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| one person | $12,475 | $12,669 | $12,961 | $13,213 | $13,310 | $14,109 |
| two persons | $15,531 | $15,772 | $16,135 | $16,449 | $16,570 | $17,564 |
| three persons | $19,093 | $19,390 | $19,836 | $20,222 | $20,371 | $21,593 |
| four persons | $23,181 | $23,542 | $24,084 | $24,553 | $24,733 | $26,217 |
| five persons | $26,292 | $26,701 | $27,315 | $27,847 | $28,052 | $29,735 |
| six persons | $29,652 | $30,114 | $30,807 | $31,407 | $31,638 | $33,536 |
| seven persons | $33,014 | $33,528 | $34,299 | $34,967 | $35,224 | $37,337 |
| If more than seven persons, for each additional person, add | $3,361 | $3,414 | $3,493 | $3,560 | $3,586 | $3,801 |
How to realize income in comparison to LICO
To compare your income with LICO, the best way to realize your income is to look at your Notice of Assessment (NOA) or the Option C printout. Unfortunately, a typical NOA is confusing. However, your answer is line 150 or 15000 of the NOA. Regardless, in some immigration options, you could refer to your earnings statements or T4. Nonetheless, consult with an accountant for correct figures. Also, ask a practitioner if using these sources is beneficial. Finally, if you use LICO for settlement funds, your account balance is more important than your income.
Questions about LICO 2023 or immigration matters to Canada
If you have questions about LICO 2023 or other issues related to immigration, fill out the following form. Of course, we will get back to you as soon as possible. However, if the question is case-specific, we advise you to book a consultation session.
We extracted the LICO tables with the help of the IRCC website.
Updated: 2023-02-04
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Al ParsaiAl Parsai, LLM, MA, RCIC-IRB
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant
Adjunct Professor – Queen’s University – Faculty of Law
Ashton College Instructor – Immigration Consulting
Author – 88 Tips on Immigration to Canada
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