Canada offers ample options for immigrants to work in the country.
However, a criminal background may impede your career plans in Canada, and you can even be inadmissible to the country.
The government of Canada has provided many options to conquer the inadmissibility. This article will discuss how a person with a criminal record can work in Canada.
Individuals with criminal backgrounds must deal with the objectionable issue before applying for a work permit in Canada because the application may get rejected due to criminal inadmissibility.
Inadmissibility due to criminal background may depend on the severity of the crime, the time since it was committed, and your behaviour since then. You can overcome this by utilizing the options to provided by the government.
You may only be permitted to enter Canada if you have a temporary resident permit or a legal opinion letter from the Canadian government. Or else you satisfy the legal requirements to be considered rehabilitated.
If you plan to move to Canada and you do have a criminal record, then you must prepare well in advance. You can go with the options which are more suitable for you.
Below are some ways the government offers to overcome criminal inadmissibility in Canada.
The Legal Opinion Letter
The Canadian immigration lawyers provide the legal opinion letter in which they explain why you should be allowed to enter the Canadian borders. They point out the facts in the letter to verify that you are considered to be rehabilitated. They prove to the government that the crime you committed was non-serious or there isn’t any crime equivalent to your crime in Canadian law.
The letter may also be used to support your temporary resident permit or application for rehabilitation.
The Temporary Resident Permit
People with a criminal background can temporarily enter the country using TRP. You can also use TRP if about five years have passed since your punishment ended or if you are entering Canada for a legitimate reason.
The Temporary Resident Permit provided by the Canadian government remains active for about three years.
To get TRP, you have to apply for it and provide convincing reasons to IRCC regarding your offence, why they should permit your entry to the country, and how you will benefit the country.
The PRs and US nationals can apply for TRP when they enter Canadian land, or they can previously apply at a Canadian consulate to get pre-approval by the government.
Besides this, the citizens of all the other countries have to apply for TRP at a Canadian consulate prior to their entry.
The application fee for a Temporary Resident Permit is $200.
The Rehabilitation
Canada recognizes rehabilitation as a permanent solution to criminal inadmissibility. It is the only long-term solution to get rid of your criminal record.
After you have been rehabilitated, You can enter the country, and your criminal record could not affect your eligibility so as long you don’t commit any more crimes.
Rehabilitation could be of two different types:
- Individual rehabilitation
- Deemed rehabilitation
1Individual Rehabilitation – The fees for the Individual rehabilitation application is either $200 or $1,000.The amount of fees depends on the harshness of the penalty. You can utilize it if it’s been about five years since your punishment ended.
In the application, you have to provide proof of your rehabilitation, and you will no more conduct a crime. You have to demonstrate that you live a stable life and what you are doing to enhance your behaviour.
These rehabilitation applications are processed within 12 months.
2. Deemed Rehabilitation– You can submit your rehabilitation application under this if the crime committed by you was less severe and about ten years have passed after your punishment ended.
Although due to a significant duration of time, you will be automatically be considered rehabilitated.
However, to avoid further questioning at the border, you can still get a legal opinion letter from the Canadian immigration letter.
