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Find a Lawyer » Canada Legal Guides » Federal Criminal Law Canada » Federal Pardons & Record Suspensions Canada » Page 5
💡Debt collectors handle highly sensitive financial data. To work legally, you must pass a provincial background check. Obtaining a federal Record Suspension seals your CPIC file, making you eligible for…
💡Opening a daycare in Canada requires strict background checks, including a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC). If you have a past conviction, obtaining a federal Record Suspension (Pardon) from the Parole…
💡To earn your Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) licence in Canada, you must satisfy the “good character” requirement of your provincial regulator (like PEO in Ontario). Obtaining a federal Record Suspension seals…
💡To become a licensed locksmith in Canada, you must pass a mandatory criminal background check. A federal Record Suspension removes your past convictions from the RCMP’s CPIC system, allowing you…
💡Applying for a Record Suspension (formerly a pardon) in Canada for an indictable offence like arson requires proving a “measurable benefit” to society. You must wait a mandatory 10-year period…
⚠Having a Canadian criminal record for cybercrime or unauthorized computer use will instantly disqualify you from working in the tech sector. To pass stringent corporate and federal IT security clearances,…
💡Most hunting, fishing, and wildlife tickets issued in Canada are provincial offences (like a speeding ticket) and do not appear on your federal criminal record. Therefore, you do not need…
💡A summary conviction for “causing a disturbance” requires a 5-year waiting period before you can apply for a federal Record Suspension. Successfully clearing this minor public order offence with the…
💡To become a licensed funeral director in Canada, you must pass a strict criminal background check by your provincial bereavement authority. Obtaining a federal Record Suspension (pardon) seals your record,…
💡Securing university tenure in Canada involves rigorous background checks. A federal Record Suspension legally seals your criminal past from standard CPIC checks, allowing you to answer “no” to having an…
💡To become a Private Investigator (PI) in Canada, you must pass a strict provincial criminal background check. If you have a past conviction, obtaining a federal Record Suspension (formerly a…
💡To maintain or obtain a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation in Canada after a conviction, you must meet strict “good character” requirements. While a federal Record Suspension seals your CPIC…
💡To work as a paramedic in Ontario and earn your AEMCA certification, you must pass a strict Police Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC). Obtaining a federal Record Suspension (pardon) seals most…
💡To work in a Canadian casino as a dealer, pit boss, or security guard, you must pass a strict provincial security clearance. Provincial gaming commissions will deny registration to anyone…
💡If you have multiple criminal convictions in Canada, the waiting period for a Record Suspension (pardon) only begins after you have completed your entire sentence for all offences. Concurrent sentences…
💡The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) calculates your waiting period based on your last completed sentence. If you received multiple consecutive sentences, they stack back-to-back. The 5-year or 10-year clock…
🔒A federal record suspension seals your conviction in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC), which hides it from standard checks in the Canadian Firearms Information System (CFIS). However, it does…
🎯Securing a federal pardon greatly improves your chances of obtaining a Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence (RPAL). However, it is not a guarantee. The Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) conducts continuous…
💡As of January 1, 2022, the Parole Board of Canada officially lowered the Record Suspension application fee from $657.77 down to $50 CAD. While advocacy groups continue to push for…
⚖️If the Parole Board of Canada issues a Notice of Intent to Revoke your record suspension, you are in immediate danger of having your criminal record unsealed. You generally have…
💡If you received a ticket for speeding, public intoxication, or fishing without a licence under a provincial statute, it is not a federal criminal offence. You do not need to…
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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.