Definition of Criminal Inadmissibility
When foreign nationals or permanent residents of Canada are found to have committed criminal acts, they may be deemed inadmissible to Canada. Those who are deemed inadmissible must leave Canada right away and will usually not be allowed to return to or enter Canada.
There are two main kinds of criminal inadmissibility.
- Inadmissibility for involvement in individual crime. This category is sometimes divided into two sub-categories: general criminality and serious criminality.
- Involvement in organized crime.
For more information on the two kinds of crime listed above, see the links below.
- Determining Inadmissibility for Individual Criminality
- Determining Inadmissibility for Organized Criminality
Overcoming Criminal Inadmissibility:
There are two main ways for a person to overcome a finding of criminal inadmissibility.
1. Rehabilitation
In some cases, a person who has committed a crime can be considered rehabilitated by the Canadian government and allowed to enter Canada.
2. Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)
If an inadmissible person’s entry into Canada is deemed to be “justified in the circumstances”, they will be granted a TRP and allowed to enter Canada for a limited time.
A TRP will have a validity period of between one day and three years depending on the specific circumstances of the person applying for the TRP.
Note: If you are from a country whose citizens are required to obtain a visitor visa in order to enter Canada, you will have to obtain this visa along with a TRP in order to enter Canada. For a list of countries whose citizens are required to obtain a visitor visa in order to enter Canada. Also, all TRP holders who would like to work or study in Canada will have to obtain the proper work or study visa in order to do so.