A person who committed or was convicted of an offence may be criminally inadmissible to Canada. Depending on the offence, Canadian equivalent, time elapsed and completion of the sentence, the person may be deemed rehabilitated, may apply for individual rehabilitation or may need another temporary solution.
At a glance
- Assessment of foreign offence against Canadian law
- Deemed rehabilitation where the legal criteria are met
- Individual rehabilitation applications
- Temporary Resident Permit considerations where appropriate
Canadian equivalency matters
The analysis is based on how the conduct or conviction corresponds to Canadian law, not simply the name given to the offence in another country.
Time is calculated from sentence completion
Eligibility for individual rehabilitation depends in part on the time since all components of the sentence were completed. Court records and proof of completion are therefore important.
Evidence of rehabilitation
An individual rehabilitation application may include police certificates, court records, personal explanations, evidence of conduct since the offence and other material showing rehabilitation.
Travel planning
Rehabilitation applications can take significant time. Applicants should address admissibility well before planned travel rather than assume the issue can be resolved at the border.
Official government resources
Use these official sources for the current program rules, forms and government instructions.
Want Elboniel to review your situation?
Use the Free Preliminary Assessment for a structured written review, or request the Free 15-Minute Immigration Inquiry Call if you have one short question and want a quick starting point.