Rights and benefits for people registered under the Indian Act and First Nation members
Learn about the rights and benefits that may be available to you as a person registered under the Indian Act or as a member of a First Nation.
On this page
Eligibility criteria to keep in mind
- Each right and benefit has specific eligibility criteria, which may depend on registration, First Nation membership, or both
- Registration may not always result in membership
- To find out the difference between registration and membership, visit Applying for registration under the Indian Act, First Nation membership and status cards, what's the difference?
- Before you are registered or become a member, you may still be eligible for certain rights and benefits, if you are entitled to registration or membership
- You may also have to meet additional eligibility criteria beyond registration or membership. Some examples include:
- age
- residency
- province or territory
- on or off reserve
- your First Nation's treaty, if applicable
- You may be eligible for some of these rights and benefits based on other criteria that do not require registration or membership
- For more information on eligibility criteria, contact the federal, provincial, territorial or First Nation organization responsible for the right or benefit, or visit their website
Examples of rights and benefits from either registration or First Nation membership
Examples of rights and benefits from registration
- Tax benefits
- GST/HST and First Nations peoples
- Non-Insured Health Benefits
- Wide range of Indigenous health programs
- Post-secondary student support program
- University and College Entrance Preparation Program
- Right to enter and remain in Canada
- Right to work in Canada and study in Canada
- Indigenous Business Directory
- Firearms licenses support for Indigenous Peoples
- Treaty annuity payments
- Estate services for deceased persons, dependent adults or minors
Examples of rights and benefits from membership
- Support provided by the First Nation, for example, for education, housing and social services
- Possession of reserve lands (Certificate of Possession)
- Right to participate in First Nations elections: Leadership selection in First Nations
- Right to vote in:
- Elections
- Land management, for example, designations and surrenders
- Right to participate in settlement-related activities, for example, ratification votes and per capita distributions
- Treaty rights, for example, hunting, fishing or trapping in the treaty area
You may need to contact the First Nation for more information on these rights and benefits.