Serious Criminality


A foreign national or permanent resident may be criminally inadmissible or removable from Canada, as the case may be, on the grounds of serious criminality.

The Cohen Immigration Law Firm can assist in your efforts to enter Canada. Simply complete our contact form and one of our experts will reach out to schedule a free consultation with you.



Serious Criminality: Reasons for Inadmissibility or Grounds for Removal from Canada

The following is an overview of serious offences that can deem one inadmissible to Canada or subject to a removal order:

For convictions within Canada, if they have:

  • Been convicted in Canada of an indictable offence punishable by a maximum sentence of at least ten years; or
  • Been convicted in Canada and received a prison term of at least six months.

For convictions outside Canada, if they have:

  • Been convicted outside Canada of an act that, if committed in Canada, would be equivalent to a indictable offence punishable by a maximum sentence of at least ten years; or
  • Been convicted outside Canada of an act that, if committed in Canada, would be equivalent to a hybrid offence punishable by a maximum sentence of at least ten years.

For criminal acts committed outside Canada, if they have:

  • Committed an act outside Canada that, if committed in Canada, would be equivalent to an indictable offence punishable by a maximum sentence of at least ten years.

Remedies for Serious Criminality to Support your Canadian Admissibility

Serious criminality must always be addressed by way of a Temporary Resident permit (TRP) OR criminal rehabilitation application, as a foreign national can never be deemed rehabilitated by the passage of time.

About Cohen Immigration Law

Cohen Immigration Law is one of Canada's leading immigration law firms. We have over 45 years of experience and feature a team of over 60 Canadian immigration attorneys, paralegals, and other dedicated professionals.

Cohen Immigration Law uses its expertise to help clients overcome inadmissibility issues. Our team of inadmissibility lawyers and professionals will work to understand your situation and then submit the strongest possible application to Canadian immigration authorities.

CanadaVisa.com was founded in 1994 as the online presence of Cohen Immigration Law. Since then, CanadaVisa has grown into one of the world's most trusted resources on immigration to Canada. Please connect with us so we can support your inadmissibility needs.

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