Are you in a position where,
- You have been convicted of a crime inside of Canada
- You have been convicted of a crime outside of Canada that is a crime punishable by law in Canada
- You committed an act outside of Canada where the act is considered a crime in the country the act was committed as well as under Canadian law
If this is your situation, and you have applied for temporary resident or permanent resident, you will have most likely been denied. In Canada criminality is a ground for inadmissibility. This being said, there may be a solution for you.
These are some ways to overcome your convictions if the offence you committed was outside of Canada. They are as follows,
- You need to apply for rehabilitation
- You are deemed rehabilitated - all of the following must apply,
- The crime you committed would be an indictable offence with a maximum sentence of ten years or less in Canada
- At least ten years have passed since you served your sentence or committed the offence
If the crime you committed was in Canada, you must apply for a record suspension with the Parole Board of Canada.
So what is rehabilitation? Rehabilitation is a way to determine that you have led an exemplary lifestyle and will unlikely commits further crimes. Being rehabilitated will eliminate your inadmissibly on grounds of criminality.
In order to apply for rehabilitation, you must meet the eligibility requirements. The eligibility requirements for rehabilitation depend upon the severity of the crime you committed, how much time has passed, and how the crime would be viewed in Canada.
If you have concerns regarding your past criminal activity, or if you have been denied and unsure of what you should do now, call Akrami & Associates today and let a legal representative assist you.