CRA Charity Directory

What information is included?

Open a result to view its registration number, organization name, recorded status, qualified-donee type, effective date of that status, sanction field, designation code, charity type, category code, address, city, province/territory or other region, country and postal/ZIP code. The effective date is the date recorded for the status, not the date VGIS checked the organization.

Designation and category codes are reproduced as supplied, without inventing meanings for undocumented codes. An address is a recorded contact location, not a confirmed workplace or invitation to visit. The file does not supply job vacancies, recruitment contacts, telephone numbers, websites, wages, immigration approval history or Employer Portal eligibility.

The four charity-type groups in this file are advancement of religion (32,082), other purposes beneficial to the community (30,883), relief of poverty (11,427), and advancement of education (11,136). These are source classifications, not immigration decisions. For up-to-date registration, sanctions, activities and available financial information, use the official CRA List of charities and CRA’s explanation of the information available.

C50 versus C51: choose the work category, not just a charity

Although people search for a “C50 visa” or “C51 visa,” these are LMIA-exemption codes for work permits under paragraph 205(d), not a list of organizations authorized to sell visas or guarantee entry. The regulation concerns work “of a religious or charitable nature.” (IRPR section 205; IRCC C50 instructions; IRCC C51 instructions)

• C50 religious work: The offer must be genuine, its duties religious in nature, and the applicant must provide evidence of relevant education and experience. IRCC gives religious instruction, promoting a faith and advancing spiritual teachings as examples; general administration, accounting and gardening do not become religious duties simply because the employer is a religious organization. (IRCC C50 instructions)
• C51 charitable work: The work itself must be charitable in nature. IRCC examples include cooking at a homeless shelter, prenatal instruction for low-income families and residential care for people with developmental disabilities; an office-manager role is generally not sufficient merely because the employer is a charity. (IRCC C51 instructions)
• R186(l) religious leaders: This is a separate work-permit exemption with its own qualifying duties. It is not interchangeable with a C50 employer-specific work permit, and must be assessed separately. (IRCC religious-leader instructions)

CRA registration may support a C51 assessment, but is not mandatory and is not enough by itself. For organizations without registration, IRCC may review the mandate, governing documents, annual reports, support letters, charitable benefit and beneficiary group. (IRCC C51 instructions)

How to use this directory responsibly

1. Identify the exact legal organization. Search by name or full registration number, then compare the legal entity with the proposed employer. Do not assume a similarly named branch or affiliate is the same employer.
2. Verify current CRA information. Search the registration number in the official CRA directory. CRA says its list provides registration status, sanctions, contact details, general activities and available T3010 information. (CRA information guide)
3. Confirm any role independently. Use independently verified organization contact details to ask whether a genuine role exists. This directory is not a job board, and VGIS has not confirmed vacancies or employer participation.
4. Assess actual duties and evidence. Compare the true position, beneficiaries and program with the relevant IRCC category. Do not invent frontline or religious duties to make a role fit. (IRCC C51 instructions; IRCC C50 instructions)
5. Prepare the employer and worker files. Check the offer-of-employment requirements, any applicable fees or fee exemptions, qualifications and the worker’s eligibility before applying. An LMIA exemption does not remove the other work-permit requirements. (IRCC C51 instructions; IRCC C50 instructions)

If the CRA search service is temporarily unavailable, retry it later. Do not replace a current-status check with this older export.

Examples: the same organization can involve different assessments

These are hypothetical illustrations, not findings about any organization in the directory.

• Shelter meal preparation: A genuine role preparing meals for homeless residents may align with IRCC’s charitable-work example. The actual offer, program, worker qualifications and other requirements still need assessment. (IRCC C51 instructions)
• Office administration at the same shelter: Registration does not turn ordinary office-management duties into charitable work. IRCC specifically identifies that distinction. (IRCC C51 instructions)
• Religious teaching at a congregation: Duties focused on advancing the faith may require a C50 assessment, while a separate charitable food-service role needs its own C51 analysis. The organization’s “advancement of religion” directory label does not decide the code. (IRCC C50 instructions; IRCC C51 instructions)
• An unpaid position: Unpaid activity can still be “work” for immigration purposes. Work authorization and fee-exemption eligibility are separate questions; a volunteer label does not settle either. (IRCC C51 instructions)

How VG Immigration Services can help

VG Immigration Services can review the proposed arrangement before the employer and applicant commit to a filing strategy. Our assessment can address:

• Organization evidence: Legal-entity matching, CRA record review, governing documents, charitable programs and supporting records.
• Role analysis: The actual duties, religious or charitable purpose, appropriate occupational classification and whether C50, C51 or another pathway deserves consideration.
• Employer preparation: Offer-of-employment information, compensation, fee-exemption evidence and consistency across employer documents.
• Applicant preparation: Qualifications, immigration history, required supporting documents and a clear explanation of the proposed work.
• Longer-term planning: A separate assessment of family applications and possible permanent-residence eligibility, without treating a temporary work permit as a PR guarantee.

We do not sell jobs or guarantee an offer, work permit, processing time or permanent residence. Listing an organization here does not mean it is a VGIS client or partner.

Book a C50/C51 assessment Contact VG Immigration

Read the detailed work-permit guides

• C51 charitable work permit: eligibility, evidence and application steps
• C51 refresher: the key checks before filing
• C50 religious work permit guide

Frequently asked questions

Is this a list of approved C50 or C51 employers?

No. It is a historical charity-directory export, not an IRCC-approved employer list. IRCC assesses the actual work and all applicable requirements, not charity registration alone.

Are all 85,528 organizations still registered today?

That has not been verified. All are labelled Registered in the supplied December 13, 2025 export, but some also have sanction flags. Check the current CRA record before relying on an entry.

Does a charity have to be registered with CRA for C51?

IRCC says CRA registration is not mandatory. Other evidence may establish an organization’s charitable nature, but the proposed work must independently meet the C51 requirements.

Does VG Immigration arrange jobs with the listed charities?

This resource does not offer job placement or confirm vacancies. VGIS can assess a genuine proposed role and help prepare an appropriate immigration application within the agreed service scope.

Can I download the complete list?

Yes. The directory provides the complete original tab-delimited export, containing all 85,528 entries and the fields supplied in the file. Its historical status and immigration-eligibility limitations continue to apply after downloading.

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General information, not individualized legal advice. Read our legal disclaimer and privacy policy. Book now for a case-specific assessment.

VG Immigration Services Canada | 211-9300 Goreway Drive, Brampton ON L6P 4N1, Canada | +1 (416) 578-9269 | immigration@vgis.ca
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