A great way to see North America is by obtaining a working holiday visa and beginning a 1-year journey abroad. If you are between the ages of 18 to 30, you can be a part of the working holiday program and immerse yourself in a new culture, meet new people, and see a new country whose language you already familiar with. Many young British and Australian citizens enjoy the freedom of travelling to Canada during their gap year to enjoy a diverse cultural country. Canada is a great place to gain some professional experience while indulging in the rich culture it has to offer. Taking a part in this working holiday program allows the applicant to reap the benefits of both working to pay for your travels while gaining insight to a different cultural perspective.
However, nowadays many applicants between the ages of 18-30 have been convicted of a DUI or other offences, which could prevent them from exploring that opportunity. Those who wish to enter Canada from the United Kingdom or Australia, but have been previously charged with either driving under the influence or other criminal offences may find themselves at a loss for what to do. The first step would be to apply for a working holiday visa at the same time as their application for a Temporary Resident Permit. The applicant must also have a noteworthy reason to travel, such as a specialized job offer in Canada or a special event to be considered. If the applicant were eligible, applying for criminal rehabilitation would also be something to consider.
The objective of the working holiday permit is to allow citizens of the UK to find temporary paid work while traveling to Canada in order for them to help pay for their stay of maximum 12 months. To be qualified for the working holiday permit, one must be:
- Be a citizen of the United Kingdom
- Between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of receiving the application,
- Hold a UK passport with British citizenship that will be valid throughout the applicants stay in Canada. Holders of a ‘Channel Islands’ passport are also eligible,
- Hold a ticket of departure from Canada at the designated end time of your stay, or have the financial resources to purchase that ticket,
- Have the equivalent of $2,500 Canadian to be able to cover expenses for the first 3 months of your stay,
- Accept to purchase health insurance to cover medical expenses for the duration of your stay, and may need proof of this insurance upon entry into Canada,
- Pay a participation fee when asked to do so.
The purpose of a temporary resident permit (TRP) is to allow the applicant to temporarily set aside their inadmissibility into Canada for a specified reason. This permit is needed until the time that the applicants criminal inadmissibility has been removed, either through undergoing criminal rehabilitation or being deemed rehabilitated. Several circumstances can render one inadmissible into Canada after having been convicted of an offence and:
- Less than five years has passed since the end of the sentence,
- More than five years has passed since the end of the sentence, although the person has not yet applied or received a positive decision on an application for criminal rehabilitation.
*It is important to note that a TRP is temporary admissibility for entry into Canada, while criminal rehabilitation is a permanent solution for admissibility.
