POLICE CERTIFICATES / CRIMINALITY

If you are applying to immigrate to Canada, you and all your dependants over the age of 18 are required to provide a police certificate for all the countries in which you have lived for a period of 6 months or more, since turning 18 years of age . Police certificates are also required for some categories of temporary foreign workers (those wishing to work in healthcare and childcare, amongst others) and for participants in  working holiday programmes. For more information on police certificates and how to obtain them, please refer to:

www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/security/police-cert/index.asp

If you have committed a criminal offence, or received a criminal conviction or a caution, it is important that you respond positively to the relevant question on your application form, as this will affect your admissibility to Canada under subsection 36 (1) and (2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).  Failure to include pertinent information in this section will also affect admissibility. You can find a copy of IRPA at:

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/showtdm/cs/I-2.5

In addition to a police certificate, applicants who fall into this category will need to provide: 

- A written statement of the events;

- A memorandum of conviction (if applicable) , or other court or police documents detailing your offence and sentence;

- Two character references from members of the community, including a reference to the crime committed;

- In the case of cautions or convictions received in the United Kingdom, you may also wish to provide a legal opinion regarding your rehabilitation under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). Please note that while the ROA does not apply to Canada, it may enter into consideration when an officer is reviewing your admissibility.

Depending on the number of offences, their severity, the sentences imposed and the passage of time since their completion, it is possible that you may be considered rehabilitated and that your conviction will not affect your admissibility. This will be reviewed by an immigration officer. For more information on criminal inadmissibility, you may wish to consult:

www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/inadmissibility.html