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Find a Lawyer » Canada Legal Guides » Federal Criminal Law Canada » Federal Pardons & Record Suspensions Canada » Page 10
🚨In Canada, a Record Suspension generally seals your criminal history from public view. However, under the Criminal Records Act, if you were convicted of a Schedule 1 sexual offence, this…
💡No company, lawyer, or agency can guarantee a Canadian Record Suspension or legally expedite the Parole Board of Canada’s processing times. Predatory scams often demand massive upfront fees or ongoing…
🔍Even if you have secured a federal Record Suspension, most provincial child welfare agencies demand absolute transparency during a home study. While a pardoned record rarely disqualifies you automatically, attempting…
👮Having a criminal record generally disqualifies you from obtaining a provincial security guard licence in Canada. Fortunately, securing a federal Record Suspension instantly seals your CPIC file, effectively removing the…
🏠Obtaining a federal Record Suspension seals your criminal record from standard background checks in Canada. When applying for a real estate license with regulators like RECO in Ontario or BCFSA…
👪Generally, having a criminal record presents a massive barrier to fostering or adopting a child in Canada. Obtaining a federal Record Suspension (formerly a pardon) seals your CPIC file, and…
💡To article and become a licensed lawyer in Canada, you must satisfy the Law Society’s strict “Good Character” requirement. While obtaining a federal Record Suspension (Pardon) proves your rehabilitation, you…
💡Becoming a licensed pharmacist in Canada with a past drug offence is extremely difficult but not impossible. You must obtain a federal Record Suspension to seal your RCMP record, and…
💡A Canadian Record Suspension legally seals your criminal history within the RCMP’s CPIC database, hiding it from employers and border guards. However, it has absolutely no legal power to force…
💡Yes, you can legally apply for a Canadian Record Suspension (pardon) on your own without a lawyer. The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) processes all applications equally, and the basic…
🔒No. The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) and the RCMP are strictly bound by the federal Privacy Act. They will absolutely never notify your current or former employers that you…
📝When a Vulnerable Sector Check uncovers a pardoned Schedule 1 sexual offence, the RCMP cannot instantly hand that record to an employer. The Criminal Records Act mandates a highly scrutinized…
🔍To verify that your Canadian criminal record is completely sealed, you should wait 30 days after receiving your official pardon letter and then order a fingerprint-based personal criminal record check.…
⏰While receiving your official approval letter from the Parole Board of Canada is an incredible relief, the process is not instantly complete. It typically takes the RCMP 1 to 4…
🏒Yes, you can generally coach youth hockey in Canada with a past assault conviction, provided you have successfully obtained a Record Suspension (pardon) from the Parole Board of Canada. Because…
💡In Canada, a Member of Parliament (MP) cannot legally overrule or speed up the independent decision-making process of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC). However, an MP can sometimes assist…
💡If a private background screening agency reports a pardoned conviction, you can force them to purge their outdated cache under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). You…
💡When applying for a Record Suspension in Canada, you can use an unregulated pardon agency or a licensed Lawyer / Law Firm. While agencies usually charge between $500 and $1,500…
💡If you move during your Record Suspension processing, you must update your mailing address with the Parole Board of Canada immediately. If the PBC mails you a request for more…
💡A municipal noise bylaw ticket or parking fine is a civil infraction, not a criminal conviction. Therefore, these minor local fines do not appear on your federal RCMP CPIC record…
💡The Parole Board of Canada frequently updates its official Record Suspension application forms. Submitting an outdated PDF that you downloaded from a third-party website or an old blog will result…
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Welcome to the Canada Federal Pardons & Record Suspensions guide centre. Here you will find comprehensive resources covering everything from navigating waiting periods to dealing with the Parole Board of Canada, based on current federal regulations.
A criminal record can be a heavy burden, affecting your ability to find employment, secure housing, or volunteer in your community. In Canada, a “record suspension” (formerly known as a pardon) allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.
This process is entirely federal and governed by the Criminal Records Act. Once granted by the Parole Board of Canada, your record is removed from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database, meaning a standard background check will no longer show your past convictions.
Navigating the post-conviction landscape involves several complex steps. Our resources address many common topics, including:
Even though applying for a record suspension is a federal process managed in Ottawa, you will need to interact with several local and provincial agencies to gather your necessary documentation. For instance, you must obtain court documents directly from the courthouse where your matter was originally heard, whether that was the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario, the Court of King’s Bench in Alberta, or the Supreme Court of British Columbia.
Additionally, local police checks are a mandatory step in the application. You will need to request Local Police Records Checks from every municipality you have lived in over the past five years, meaning you might need to interact directly with the Calgary Police Service, local RCMP detachments, or other regional police departments.
The application process for a record suspension is rigorous, demanding strict attention to detail and precise documentation. Attempting to navigate the paperwork and legal requirements on your own can lead to costly mistakes, returned applications, or even a denial by the Parole Board of Canada. We always recommend seeking the guidance of a qualified legal professional to ensure your application is flawless and your rights are protected.
You can find a list of relevant local lawyers and government agencies at the top of this page. Working with an experienced lawyer or legal representative can give you peace of mind, simplify interactions with local courts, and significantly reduce the stress of clearing your past.
In 2012, the Canadian government officially changed the term “pardon” to “record suspension.” They generally mean the same thing, but the new term was introduced to reflect that a criminal record is set aside from public databases, rather than erased or forgiven entirely.
The waiting period depends on how the Crown proceeded with your charges. Typically, it is five years for a summary conviction offence and ten years for an indictable offence. This waiting period only starts after you have fully completed all parts of your sentence, including paying fines and finishing probation.
No, it will not. US Customs and Border Protection does not recognize Canadian record suspensions. If you have a criminal record on file, even if it has been suspended in Canada, you may still be denied entry and will likely need to apply for a US Entry Waiver to cross the border legally.
Yes. The Parole Board of Canada has the authority to revoke your record suspension if you are convicted of a new criminal offence, if you are found to no longer be of good conduct, or if it is discovered that you provided false or misleading information on your application.
The Parole Board of Canada charges a standard federal application fee to process your file. However, you must also budget for the costs of mandatory RCMP fingerprinting, obtaining certified court records, requesting local police checks, and any legal fees if you choose to hire a lawyer to assist you.
If you were never formally convicted, you do not need a record suspension. However, the arrest record, photographs, and fingerprints may still exist in the RCMP and local police databases. To have these removed, you will need to apply for a file and fingerprint destruction, which is a different process.