Lawyers who have been representing survivors of Canada's residential school system are expected to get the biggest payment ever recorded for a Canadian class action case.

A draft copy of the final residential school agreement reportedly reveals that the federal government has agreed to pay a total of $80 million in legal fees to Regina-based Merchant Law Group and a national consortium of 20 law firms.

Meanwhile, the aging survivors of the residential school system will get an average of $30,000, the draft copy shows.

Last week, Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Jim Prentice announced the long-awaited deal to compensate former students of native residential schools.

The $2 billion deal, which will provide financial compensation as well as healing and education programs for abuse suffered at the schools, is expected to be cleared by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's cabinet in the coming days.

It will then be subject to approval by courts in several provinces.

"The government will now immediately consider the settlement agreement and the interim payments and the timing of those payments," Prentice told the House of Commons Tuesday.

About 78,000 people are estimated to have attended residential schools until the system was dismantled in the 1970s.

Harper has said his government is ready to act on the deal as soon as possible, but the majority of those who qualify for compensation aren't expected to receive payment until early next year.

The Merchant Law Group represents 9,000 survivors, which the firm's website says is half of all those who sought justice by means of the class-action route.

Residential schools were established by the federal government in the late 19th century to 'educate' and 'Christianize' natives after officials decided aboriginal culture was unable to adapt to a rapidly modernizing society.

In 1998 the federal government admitted sexual and physical abuse within the church-run schools was widespread.

In addition to physical and sexual abuse, many former students have testified to losing their language and traditions and suffering a sense of alienation in their own communities as a result of being forced to attend the schools.

Last fall, the former Liberal government announced a plan to fast-track payments of $8,000 to those who are sick or over the age of 65, even before the deal is approved by lawmakers.

The new deal also provides for a $125 million healing fund to be administered by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, as well as a "truth and reconciliation" process.

In some cases, descendants of former students would also qualify to apply for the payments.

The deal is also designed to intercept more than 21 class-action suits seeking billion of dollars in compensation in relation to the residential schools issue.

The Department of Justice has already spent up to an estimated $100 million fighting litigation, the Canadian Press reported.