Sub-series consists of a nominal register compiled at Immigration headquarters in Ottawa to record and enumerate persons classed as "Asiatic" admitted to Canada under three Immigration quota agreements signed by Canada with India, Pakistan and Ceylon respectively, all of which came into effect on 1 January 1951.
Asian immigration generally (as opposed to Chinese immigration in particular) was almost entirely prohibited, beginning on 16 September 1930, by Order in Council (P.C. 2115, of that date). This Order excepted only spouses and minor children of Canadian citizens able to support them, and persons subject to certain international agreements. The 1951 agreements expanded the categories of admissible Asians to include aged parents, as well as a limited quota of other relatives and independent applicants from each country: 150 from India (raised on 2 January 1958 by OCPC 1958-1957 to 300, including 150 "preference" close relatives and 150 "non-relative" independent applicants); 100 from Pakistan and 50 from Ceylon.
The quota arrangement was reflected in section 20(2-3) of the subsequent Immigration Regulations of 26 May 1963 (OCPC, 1953-859) and is further described for the benefit of Immigration staff in chapters 17 and 18 of the Immigration Manuals (see RG76-D-5-a-i Immigration Manual, First Series, volume 937 binder 16). Admissions were made accordingly each year until 1967, when the agreements were apparently treated as nullified by new Immigration Regulations made as a result of the Canadian Bill of Rights (1960).
The register is a looseleaf binder containing three sets of nominal lists of immigrants admitted to Canada between 1951 and 1967, one for each of the three nations of origin. Each person accepted for admission in each given year was allocated a quota number: thus the 100th or last successful applicant accepted from Pakistan in 1957 was numbered 100/57. Some persons who failed to arrive within the set time period were reallocated new numbers, although some arriving as late as 5 years after their quota year were not so treated. No quota numbers were issued in Ceylon in 1951.
The nominal lists for each country are arranged by year and within each year by quota number. Each entry gives the person's quota number, Immigration case file number (straight numeric, HQ, AN, or "ND" series), name, occupation (for head of family) or family relationship (for dependents) and date of landing in Canada. Some entries lack file numbers, occupations, or landing dates. There are some annotations describing withdrawn, cancelled or transferred applications, and (in the 1960's) more detailed information on the status of some individuals.
Each list exists in two states. The first version (covering entries for approximately 1951-1961 only) includes some unique information on whereabouts and family relationships; but portions of these lists are missing, and all stop short in 1961. The redrafted second versions cover 1951 through 1967: they omit same annotations, but include late information on cancellations and quota reallocations not found in the earlier list.
