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IMM 5283: the humanitarian and compassionate supplementary form, what it asks and common mistakes

IMM 5283 is the supplementary information form in the humanitarian and compassionate (H&C) permanent residence package, filed alongside the IMM 5280 document checklist and online forms. IRCC's guide calls H&C consideration "an exceptional measure". The fee list shows $1,260 with the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it, for an adult. Incomplete applications are returned.

IMM 5283, "Supplementary Information: Humanitarian and Compassionate Considerations", is one part of a package. IRCC's form page says the version on the site was last updated in June 2020 and the page is dated 28 May 2024. The package's instruction guide is Guide 5291 (page dated 7 August 2026), and the document checklist is IMM 5280 (page dated 11 September 2025). This guide explains what the form and package ask, the fees on the IRCC fee list as at 21 September 2026, who cannot apply and the points IRCC flags. It does not tell you whether you have grounds, which facts matter, or how to present your own circumstances. Those are questions for a lawyer or a licensed consultant who has your file. The wider route is explained in the humanitarian and compassionate guide on this site.

What H&C consideration is, in the law and in IRCC's guide

Section 25(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (current to 21 September 2026, last amended 26 March 2026) allows the Minister, on request of a foreign national in Canada who applies for permanent resident status, to examine the person's circumstances and grant status or an exemption if justified by humanitarian and compassionate considerations. The Act requires the best interests of a child directly affected to be taken into account. Section 25(1.2) lists situations where the Minister may not examine the request, including a request already pending and a refugee claim that is pending. Section 25(1.3) says that when examining the request of a foreign national in Canada, the Minister may not consider the factors used to decide refugee protection and instead must consider elements related to the hardships that affect the foreign national.

IRCC's Guide 5291 describes the route in plain terms. It says: "Applying for H&C consideration is an exceptional measure". Applicants must specify the exemption or exemptions requested, explain why, and show sufficient and compelling reasons. The guide adds that the cost and inconvenience of returning home to apply are not, on their own, sufficient.

That is the frame for IMM 5283. The form is where the applicant sets out facts and the evidence for them. It is not a formality, and nothing on it should be copied from a template or another person's application.

Who may use this package, and who may not

Guide 5291 says the package is for foreign nationals living in Canada who need an exemption from one or more requirements of the Act or Regulations to apply for permanent residence, and who are not eligible under another in-Canada class. It says that people eligible as a spouse or common-law partner, in an economic class, as a protected person or Convention refugee, or as a temporary resident permit holder should not use this guide. If a spouse or common-law partner who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or status Indian can sponsor, the guide points to the spousal sponsorship guide instead.

The guide lists who may not apply: - Canadian citizens and permanent residents. - Anyone whose H&C application is still awaiting a decision. Only one may be under consideration at a time. - Anyone with an outstanding refugee claim. - Designated foreign nationals, generally for at least five years after designation or after the relevant refugee decision. - Anyone whose refugee claim was rejected, abandoned or withdrawn (outside a pre-hearing exception) within the last 12 months, called the 12-month bar.

The guide lists two exceptions to the 12-month bar: children under 18 who would be directly and adversely affected by removal, and a risk to life linked to a country's inability to provide adequate health or medical care. Whether either applies to a person is a legal question. The refugee claim rules also appear in section 25(1.2) of the Act.

On the form itself, IRCC's page says the principal applicant must complete IMM 5283. Family members complete it only if they have different humanitarian and compassionate grounds and are included in the application.

What the package contains

Guide 5291 lists the following. - The instruction guide. - Online forms: the Generic Application Form (IMM 0008), Schedule A Background/Declaration (IMM 5669) and Additional Family Information (IMM 5406). This site has a guide to each: the IMM 0008 walkthrough, the IMM 5669 guide and the IMM 5406 guide. - PDF forms to upload: the Document Checklist (IMM 5280) and the Supplementary Information form (IMM 5283). - Conditional PDF forms: the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) and the Separation Declaration for Minors Travelling to Canada (IMM 5604). - Optional: Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) and Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (IMM 5475).

The IMM 5280 page says it is a downloadable checklist for gathering and organising documents. It says that for online applications the completed checklist is uploaded with the application, and that for paper applications the documents go in the order shown on the checklist with the completed checklist on top. The guide says applications go in through the Permanent Residence Online Application Portal and gives no mailing address.

IRCC's practical instructions for the PDF forms are the usual ones: use a computer, because the forms may not open on tablets or mobile phones, and use Adobe Acrobat Reader version 10 or higher.

How to fill in IMM 5283: IRCC's instructions

IRCC's form page gives rules that apply to the whole form: - It must be completed in English or French only. - It must be typed or printed clearly in black or blue ink. - "You must answer all questions that apply to you." - If a section does not apply, write "Not applicable" or "N/A". - Write your name and date of birth at the top left corner of each additional sheet, and remember to submit the additional sheet with the application. - "For all the factors, you must provide evidence to support any statements you make on this form."

The page also says questions 7 to 13 require a detailed explanation of your situation and of the hardships you would face if exemptions are not granted. The declaration at the end certifies that you fully understand the questions, and the information must be complete, accurate and factual.

Two practical consequences. First, extra sheets are a normal part of this form, and unlabelled sheets are a common way for pages to be separated from the application. Second, a statement without a document behind it is a gap. IRCC's guide says to include documents supporting every statement. A reader who cannot find a document for a statement has two honest choices: leave the statement out, or look for the evidence before filing.

The factors IRCC says it may consider

Guide 5291 lists factors that may be considered, and says applicants are responsible for including all relevant circumstances and hardship. The list includes: - establishment in Canada; - an inability to leave Canada that led to establishment; - ties to Canada; - the best interests of affected children; - health; - family violence; - separation from relatives; - country-of-origin factors that are not about seeking protection; and - other relevant non-protection factors.

For hardship tied to conditions in the country of origin, the guide asks for the anticipated hardship, whether it applies across the country, whether the applicant sought help from authorities or non-governmental organisations, and, if not, why not.

For children, the guide lists factors such as the child's age, establishment in Canada, country conditions, medical needs, education and gender. It notes that these interests are not automatically determinative.

This list tells you what categories of information IRCC says it may look at. It does not tell you which of them apply to you, how much weight any of them will carry or what evidence is persuasive. That judgement is the work of a lawyer or licensed consultant, and no form guide can do it for you.

Evidence, translations and police certificates

IRCC's guide gives these rules on evidence: - Include documents supporting every statement, plus any documents on hardship, best interests of a child, or other factors. - Translations must include an English or French translation and, where required, an affidavit. IRCC's rule is blunt: "Translations must not be done by the applicants themselves nor by members of the applicant's family." - Certified copies must be attested by an authorised person. - Police certificates are required for each country other than Canada where the applicant, aged 18 or over, lived for six months or more in a row since age 18. The police certificates guide on this site covers how they work.

The guide's warnings are direct: "Incomplete applications will be returned". It adds that if any required documents are missing, or scans are not clear, the application will be returned. It also says: "It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on these forms." The consequences of misrepresentation are in the misrepresentation guide on this site.

What it costs: the fees on the IRCC list

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows these amounts in Canadian dollars for the humanitarian and compassionate application: - Adult: $1,260.00 with the right of permanent residence fee, or $660.00 without it. - Dependent child: $180.00 per child. - Biometrics: $85.00 per person, or a maximum of $170.00 for a family of two or more.

The fee list says the right of permanent residence fee is refunded if you withdraw or your application is refused, and that it is the only fee the page says can be refunded after processing starts. Guide 5291 directs readers to the fee list for the amounts. It adds that only online payments are accepted in Canada, that the processing fee must be included with the application, that the right of permanent residence fee may be paid now to avoid delays, and that loans may cover only that fee.

The fee list also says the right of permanent residence fee does not apply to certain groups, such as dependent children of a principal applicant. As an example of arithmetic only: one adult and one dependent child, both without the right of permanent residence fee being paid up front, would show $660 plus $180 on the list. Read the fee list on the day you pay.

Common mistakes, drawn from IRCC's own warnings

From IRCC's pages: - Using this package when another class applies. The guide tells spouses, economic class applicants, protected persons and temporary resident permit holders to look elsewhere. - Applying while an earlier H&C application is undecided or a refugee claim is outstanding. - Missing the 12-month bar after a refugee claim is rejected, abandoned or withdrawn. - Leaving questions blank. The form says to answer all that apply and to write "Not applicable" or "N/A" for sections that do not. - Additional sheets without a name and date of birth, or not attached. - Statements with no supporting documents. - Translations done by the applicant or a family member. - Unclear scans. - Police certificates missing for a country where the applicant lived for six months in a row. - Paying an unlicensed person to prepare the application. Section 91 of the Act makes paid representation by anyone other than a lawyer, a Quebec notary or a licensed consultant an offence. The guide to checking an RCIC licence explains how to verify one.

A person who thinks their situation may fall under the refugee claim rules, or who has an enforcement history, should speak to a regulated adviser or lawyer before filing.

When it is worth paying a regulated adviser

H&C applications are among the file types where people most often seek regulated help, because the application is discretionary and the evidence is personal. A lawyer, or a consultant licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, can look at your facts, tell you which parts of the Act and IRCC's guide apply, and prepare the submission. A general guide like this one cannot.

What that involves: a written consultation agreement before the consult, a fee agreed up front, and IMM 5476 filed with your application if they act for you. Check their College ID or law society number on the public register before you pay. You can find regulated advisers through the directory on this site.

Questions people ask

What is IMM 5283 used for?

It is the supplementary information form for the humanitarian and compassionate permanent residence package. IRCC's form page says the principal applicant completes it, and family members complete it only if they have different grounds and are included in the application.

How much does an H&C application cost?

The IRCC fee list (page date 21 September 2026) shows $1,260 with the right of permanent residence fee or $660 without it for an adult, and $180 per dependent child. The right of permanent residence fee is refunded if you withdraw or are refused. Read the fee list on the day you pay.

What is IMM 5280?

It is the Document Checklist for the humanitarian and compassionate package. IRCC says you upload the completed checklist with an online application, or put it on top of a paper package with the documents in the order it shows.

Can I apply for H&C consideration if I have a refugee claim?

IRCC's Guide 5291 lists an outstanding refugee claim among the reasons someone may not apply, and describes a 12-month bar after a claim is rejected, abandoned or withdrawn, with two stated exceptions. Section 25(1.2) of the Act sets out the same limits.

Can a family member translate my documents?

No. IRCC's guide says translations must not be done by the applicants themselves nor by members of the applicant's family.

Do I need a police certificate?

IRCC's guide says police certificates are required for each country other than Canada where the applicant, aged 18 or over, lived six or more months in a row since age 18.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Applications in Canada: The Rules — An H&C request asks the Minister to grant permanent residence, or an exemption from a requirement, for humanitarian and compassionate reasons under IRPA s.25(1). IRCC calls it an exceptional measure. The IRCC fee list shows $1,260 for an adult application including the right of permanent residence fee, or $660 without it (as at 2026-09-21).
  • IMM 0008, Generic Application Form for Canada: a section-by-section walkthrough — IMM 0008 is the core form for most permanent residence applications. It lists the principal applicant, their family members and their dependants. Every family member must be declared, including those who are not applying and those whose whereabouts are unknown. A paper form with missing or unreadable barcodes, or without a signature and date, is returned unprocessed.
  • IMM 5669 Schedule A, Background/Declaration: what each question asks and how gaps are treated — IMM 5669 (Schedule A) records your identity, parents, education, personal history since age 18 or the last 10 years, organizations, government and military service and addresses. IRCC says not to leave gaps in time, not to use abbreviations, and that an unsigned paper form is returned. Anyone 18 or over in the application completes their own.
  • IMM 5406, Additional Family Information: who must list whom, and why leaving someone out matters — IMM 5406 collects details about your parents, spouse or partner, children and siblings. IRCC says it is "very important" to list all your children, including married, adopted, stepchildren and those in an ex-partner's custody, and to answer every question, using N/A where one does not apply. The online version is certified when you click the complete button, and the paper version is signed in Section D.
  • IMM 5409, Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union: who signs, what it asks and common mistakes — IMM 5409 is a sworn declaration by two people that they are in a common-law relationship. It must be signed by hand, it will not produce a barcode when validated, and it asks for places, dates, years together and the kinds of shared life you can document. The regulations define a common-law partner as someone who has cohabited with you in a conjugal relationship for at least one year.
  • IMM 5476, Use of a Representative: what the form asks and how it is submitted — IMM 5476 tells IRCC that someone may act for you on an application, paid or unpaid. You complete the applicant sections, your representative signs their own declaration, and a paid representative must give their membership ID from the College, a law society or the Chambre des notaires. The same form is used to cancel or change a representative.
  • Misrepresentation in Canada: The Five-Year Inadmissibility Rule — Under section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, misrepresenting or withholding a material fact that induces or could induce an error makes a person inadmissible for five years, and during that time a foreign national cannot apply for permanent residence. The five years run from the final determination if it was made outside Canada, or from the day a removal order is enforced if it was made in Canada.
  • Medical exam and police certificates for Canada: who needs them, when, and how long they last — IRCC requires an immigration medical exam from a panel physician for permanent residence applicants, and for some temporary residents. Results are valid for 12 months. Police certificates are required for permanent residence, citizenship and International Experience Canada. Express Entry candidates must get the medical exam after the invitation but before applying, and have 60 days to submit police certificates.
  • How to check an RCIC licence on the College's Public Register — Search the consultant on the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Public Register (register.college-ic.ca). Only people with an "Active" status and "Yes" in the "Entitled to Practise" column may legally give you immigration advice for a fee. Then contact them using the details on the register, not the ones in an ad or a message.