Immigration Officer Salary – Government of Canada (2026)
How much do federal immigration officers make? Classification mapping, salary by level, and career path.
How Immigration Officer Roles Are Classified
The Government of Canada doesn't advertise positions as “Immigration Officer” — instead, each role is assigned a classification code that determines its pay scale. Here's how immigration officer roles map to federal classifications:
What Federal Immigration Officers Do
Immigration officers at IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) process immigration applications, make admissibility decisions, conduct interviews, and manage case files for permanent residence, citizenship, refugee claims, and temporary visas. They are classified as PM (Programme Administration). Note that border enforcement is handled by CBSA officers (FB classification), who are separate from IRCC immigration officers. IRCC is one of the largest federal departments, processing millions of applications annually.
Immigration Officer Salary Breakdown
An entry-level immigration officer (PM-02) earns $63,720–$69,327. Experienced officers at PM-03 earn $69,369–$74,739, and team leads at PM-04 earn $74,180–$80,612. CBSA border officers (FB-04) earn $84,001–$90,313 plus shift premiums. Immigration officer salaries are modest but include the full federal benefits package. Many officers advance by moving into policy roles (EC classification) or management positions at PM-05/PM-06.
How to Get Hired
IRCC hires immigration officers through GC Jobs competitions, typically at PM-01 or PM-02. A university degree is preferred but not always required — relevant experience in client service, case management, or regulatory work can substitute. IRCC runs large-scale recruitment campaigns to fill positions at processing centres across Canada. Security clearance is required, and some positions require bilingualism. Processing centre locations include Mississauga, Sydney (NS), Edmonton, and Ottawa.