The Chinese Immigration Act, 1885 was an act of the Parliament of Canada that placed a head tax of $50 (equivalent to $1,749 in 2023) on all Chinese immigrants entering Canada. It was based on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration, which were published in 1885.

It was granted royal assent on 20 July 1885, and followed the U.S. Chinese Exclusion Act, which was passed in 1882.

In the early 1880s, during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), as many as 17,000 Chinese immigrants came to Canada to work as labourers. Many individuals arrived from China, but others came from American states that included Washington, Oregon, and California, following their work on railroads and in mining camps. The arrival of the Chinese in Canada was partially the result of a demand for cheap labour in the West. Major labour shortages in British Columbia threatened the economic viability of Canada. Thus, as a way to bring the West economic efficiency, Chinese immigration was encouraged in the early 1880s. Furthermore, the CPR was formed to physically unite Canada, and industrialists desired cheap labour to complete its construction. Founded in 1881, the CPR was completed on 7 November 1885, "six years ahead of schedule, when the last spike was driven at Craigellachie, B.C." Following its completion, the demand for Chinese immigration decreased significantly.

Immigration to Canada also resulted from troubling political and social circumstances in China. Over 44,000 immigrants arrived in Canada between 1858 and 1923, most of whom were "male, relatively uneducated, and unskilled." Most Chinese immigrants during this period resided in the province of British Columbia, particularly in the cities of New Westminster and Victoria. In addition to their work on the CPR, early immigrants were employed in occupations that included mining, forestry, and fishing.

Although initially welcome in Canada, an increasing fear that immigrants would take jobs from Canadians, as well as a fear of Chinese people in general, resulted in the ostracization of the Chinese community and calls for immigration reform. They were also said to be "subject to loathsome diseases and demoralising habits" and considered to be an "unassimilable people." As a result of the public's distrust of Chinese immigrants, the province of British Columbia reconsidered their legal status between the years 1872 and 1885. In 1884, for example, British Columbia's Legislature attempted to "prevent their immigration, to impose an annual poll tax of $10, and to forbid their acquisition of Crown Lands."

Dissatisfaction with Chinese immigration grew, and in 1885, a royal commission was appointed to obtain proof that restricting Chinese immigration would be in the best interests of the country. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald originally refused to introduce prohibitive measures, but eventually yielded and appointed the commission. The Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration in 1885 interviewed hundreds of people with the goal of understanding the majority's view on Chinese immigration.

The commission was led by Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau and John Hamilton Gray, who gathered testimony regarding Chinese immigration at public hearings across British Columbia and compared these testimonies to those gathered on the Pacific Coast of the United States. The testimonies of 51 people were submitted. Only two Chinese witnesses were consulted: two officials from the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. Multiple viewpoints were reported, including some in favour of Chinese immigration on an economic efficiency scale. However, the overall consensus on the state of Chinese immigration was a vocalized demand for its restriction. Claims against the Chinese were slanderous and were found to have little evidence behind them. Despite this, the commission recommended a moderate legislation against Chinese immigration and proposed a $10 head tax.

The act was enacted as a result of the findings of the commission. The act imposed a $50 head tax on Chinese immigrants, with the exceptions of diplomats, government representatives, tourists, merchants, scientists, and students. The imposed duty of $50 was a significant increase from the $10 duty recommended by the royal commission.