In the past decade, Canadian border officials have deemed 267,499 migrants inadmissible to Canada, mostly for criminal convictions. At the top of the list: Americans, 63,590 of whom were found inadmissible between 2007 and 2016. In a distant second place were Mexicans (22,104), followed by Hungarians (13,082).
Under access to information laws, the Canada Border Services Agency released data on all migrants turned away from the Canadian border or removed from the country since 2007. These migrants included people visiting for tourism, as well as those intending to stay in Canada as permanent residents, refugees, foreign workers, business people and international students. Of those deemed inadmissible, some were denied entry due to a prior criminal record, while others were deported for committing offences after arriving in Canada.
The high number of Americans who have found themselves inadmissible likely stems from the interdependence of the Canadian and American economies. Cross-border trade is a crucial aspect of both nations’ economic activity, requiring thousands of business people to travel across the US-Canada border each year. Thus inadmissibility is a roadblock for many Americans with business ties in Canada. Canadian authorities take criminal inadmissibility very seriously, and Americans are often surprised that a seemingly minor prior conviction would prevent them for conducting business in Canada. Charges including a DUI, reckless driving, theft or drug possession can render an American inadmissible to Canada, meaning they can be turned away at the border.
Fortunately, there are ways to overcome inadmissibility, including obtaining a Temporary Resident Permit which allows travel for valid reasons, or applying for Criminal Rehabilitation, which removes the crime from the record for admissibility purposes. If you are inadmissible or concerned about your admissibility, a Canadian immigration lawyer can provide answers about your status and assist you in travelling to Canada with a prior conviction.
At FWCanada, we are happy to offer free consultation to promptly provide honest assessment of your case and chances of success. As one of the leading immigration law firms in the country specializing in criminal inadmissibility, we have extensive experience handling a wide range of cases. We prioritize detailed review of each client’s case to optimise application approval.
Please call on our toll free number: 1.855.316.3555 to ask all your burning questions and remedy confusions, because providing honest and accurate advice is our ethos.
FWCanada is a Montreal-based immigration law firm that provides professional legal services on Canadian immigration. For more tips and updates on Canadian immigration, follow FWCanada on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
