Inadmissibility

Overview: Understanding Inadmissibility to Canada

At The Black Bear Canada Immigration Service, we help individuals overcome inadmissibility to Canada. Being “inadmissible” means Canadian immigration law may not allow you to enter or stay in the country. A Canadian immigration officer assesses your admissibility when you apply for a visa, an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), or arrive at a port of entry. Several factors contribute to inadmissibility, including security risks, criminal history, or medical concerns.

What Makes a Person Inadmissible to Canada?

Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) defines several grounds for inadmissibility:

Security & Criminal Inadmissibility

✔ Security risks – Espionage, terrorism, or subversion against Canadian policies.
✔ Serious criminality – Crimes punishable by 10 years or more.
✔ Organized crime involvement – Human trafficking, smuggling, or gang-related offenses.

Medical & Financial Inadmissibility

✔ Canada medical inadmissibility – Conditions that threaten public health or strain healthcare services.
✔ Financial inadmissibility – Inability to support oneself financially.

Misrepresentation & Compliance Issues

✔ Providing false information can lead to a five-year ban.
✔ Not complying with visa conditions may result in removal.
✔ Inadmissible family member – Their status can affect your application.

How to Overcome Inadmissibility to Canada

There are legal ways to resolve inadmissibility to Canada:

1. Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A TRP grants temporary entry if your need to visit Canada outweighs risks. It applies to:
✔ Criminal convictions outside Canada.
✔ Recent offenses within the last five years.
✔ Urgent travel situations.

2. Criminal Rehabilitation

To apply for criminal rehabilitation, you must meet these conditions:
✔ Five years must pass after completing your sentence.
✔ No additional criminal offenses.
✔ This permanently resolves inadmissibility.

3. Record Suspension (Pardon)

A record suspension removes criminal inadmissibility for convictions inside Canada. Requirements include:
✔ Five years for minor (summary) offenses.
✔ Ten years for serious (indictable) offenses.
✔ No further offenses after completing the sentence.

Criminal Inadmissibility: What You Should Know

Impaired Driving and Criminality

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including cannabis, leads to serious criminality. A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) may be necessary to enter Canada.

Options for Criminal Records

✔ Convictions outside Canada – Apply for criminal rehabilitation.
✔ Convictions inside Canada – Apply for a record suspension.

Application Process for Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A TRP is issued based on:
✔ Travel purpose.
✔ Whether benefits outweigh risks.
✔ Supporting documents.

Our team at The Black Bear Canada Immigration Service assists with applications, interviews, and document submission.

Criminal Rehabilitation: A Permanent Solution

Two types of criminal rehabilitation exist:
✔ Deemed Rehabilitation – If enough time passes without reoffending, rehabilitation happens automatically.
✔ Individual Rehabilitation – Requires an application proving you won’t reoffend.

We help clients submit strong applications to resolve inadmissibility permanently.

Understanding Record Suspensions & Their Impact

A record suspension (pardon) is available for criminal records inside Canada. If a conviction happened abroad, Canadian authorities decide whether to recognize a foreign pardon.

Temporary Resident Permits for Recent Convictions

If less than five years have passed since your sentence ended, you may qualify for a TRP.

At The Black Bear Canada Immigration Service, we assess cases and provide tailored solutions.