A temporary resident permit is issued if one is inadmissible to enter Canada.
The decision on one’s admissibility can only be made when he or she applies to come to Canada via filing an application with the consulate or at the port of entry.
An immigration or border services officer will decide if your stay in Canada is justified. In order for someone to be eligible for a temporary resident permit or TRP, the need for that person to enter or stay in Canada must outweigh the factors of his/her inadmissibility. To be issued a temporary resident permit, there is a non-refundable processing fee of $200, which covers the cost of processing the application, which needs to be paid. The permits are usually issued for the length of your stay in Canada – you must leave Canada by the time the permit expires, or if you would like to stay longer, then you need to get another permit before the first one expires.
To apply for the permit, one needs to submit an application for a temporary resident visa, along with documents that support reasons for why that person is inadmissible and why it is justified for that person to come to Canada. There are many reasons as to why a person may be inadmissible to enter Canada. People may be considered inadmissible if they are a security risk (espionage, subversion, terrorism), had committed human or international rights violations (war crimes, crimes against humanity), had committed a serious crime punishable by a maximum prison term of at least 10 years, have been convicted of a crime (driving under the influence, theft, assault, manslaughter, dangerous driving, possession of or trafficking drugs), have ties in or are involved in organized crimes, have serious health problems (may endanger public health or safety, vast demands for health services), have serious financial issues (not able to support themselves or family), misrepresented themselves on the application or interview, did not meet the conditions of the IRPA (staying in Canada long after their permit has expired, people who have been previously deported), or if they have a family member who is inadmissible to enter Canada.
One may still be admissible to enter Canada after committing a crime, depending on the date of the crime, the seriousness of the crime, and that person’s behaviour ever since. That person would then have to convince the immigration officer that they meet the legal terms to be deemed rehabilitated, that they have applied for rehabilitation and were approved, were granted a record suspension, or have a temporary resident permit. Being deemed rehabilitated means that a certain amount of time has passed and the crime now does not make you inadmissible to enter Canada. Rehabilitation means that the person is very unlikely to commit any new crimes – which needs to be proven that the person meets the criteria. Being granted a record suspension or discharge, in other words a pardon, no longer makes that person inadmissible to enter Canada.
If you have a criminal record and need to enter Canada, call us today! Let us help you with your Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) application. We are here to help!