Clear your criminal inadmissibility for life. Our immigration lawyers prepare complete, successful applications — so you can cross the Canadian border without a permit, every time.
HOW IT WORKS
We review your criminal history and confirm that at least five years have passed since you completed your sentence — the threshold to qualify. We then identify the equivalent offence under Canadian law and map out your path to approval.
Our lawyers assist with the preparation of your complete criminal rehabilitation package - which includes collection of all of the required documents and careful editing of any personal statements demonstrating rehabilitation. As well, we handle the complex legal analysis that reduces the risk of refusal.
Once approved, your criminal inadmissibility is cleared permanently. You can travel to Canada for work, family, or pleasure without applying for a permit ever again — provided no new offences occur.
Criminal Rehabilitation is a formal application you submit to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) asking to be considered rehabilitated after a past conviction. Once approved, you are no longer considered criminally inadmissible — and you can travel to Canada freely, without a permit, for life.
It is the only permanent solution to criminal inadmissibility. Unlike a Temporary Resident Permit, which must be renewed and justified for each trip, an approved rehabilitation clears your record for Canadian immigration purposes indefinitely.
To qualify, you must have completed your entire sentence — including jail time, fines, probation, and community service — at least five years ago. The application requires detailed legal analysis, supporting evidence, and a compelling case for why you should be granted entry.
With over 23 years of experience, Canadim is one of Canada's leading immigration law firms. Our dedicated legal team has helped thousands of individuals overcome criminal inadmissibility and regain the ability to travel to Canada — including complex cases involving DUIs, drug charges, assault, fraud, and serious criminality.
We prepare every rehabilitation application with the rigour it deserves. After a thorough review of your record, we build a strategic, personalized submission designed to maximize your chances of approval and avoid costly delays or refusals.
"Canadim is a great law firm consisting of an organized, helpful and professional team. They take their time to check all details of your case with you and will give you the best options to achieve your objectives. You will have constant communications with them, while reviewing your documents, which helps creating a flawless application. I had the opportunity to work with Jasmine, a very nice and professional member of the team, who was always available to answer my questions during the process. I would recommend this firm to anyone, without a doubt. I would like to thank Canadim, and specifically Jasmine, for all their support."
"First of all, I want to thank Canadim for all the help you have done to me. All their staff are very accommodating and approachable. They are patient and always answer all my questions and guided me step by step whenever I have problems or don't know what to do. They are always there to help throughout the processing. Thank you all for your tremendous help. I'm so grateful and thankful! I highly recommend Canadim. You're the best! God bless you always and may you continue helping people."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Criminal Rehabilitation is a formal application to the Canadian government that, if approved, permanently clears your criminal inadmissibility. Once granted, you can enter Canada freely without needing a permit for each trip — provided you commit no new offences.
To qualify, you must have been convicted of (or admitted to) an offence outside Canada that is also a crime under Canadian law, and at least five years must have passed since you fully completed your sentence — including jail time, fines, probation, and community service. If the offence occurred in Canada, a Record Suspension from the Parole Board of Canada is required instead.
Processing times typically range from 12 to 18 months, and can be longer for cases involving serious criminality. If you need to travel to Canada before your rehabilitation is approved, you can apply for a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) as a bridge.
A TRP is a temporary authorization that allows entry for a specific trip while you remain inadmissible. Criminal Rehabilitation is a permanent fix that clears your inadmissibility entirely. TRPs are faster (4–6 months or same-day at the border) but must be renewed for each visit. Rehabilitation takes longer but lasts indefinitely.
Canadian immigration law classifies offences by the maximum Canadian sentence. Non-serious criminality covers offences punishable by less than 10 years in Canada. Serious criminality covers offences punishable by 10 years or more. Since December 18, 2018, impaired driving offences (DUI/DWI) are classified as serious criminality — which makes rehabilitation all the more important.
In some cases, yes. If your offence is non-serious and at least 10 years have passed since you completed your sentence, you may be deemed rehabilitated by the passage of time. However, this is decided at the discretion of the border officer and is not guaranteed. A DUI after December 18, 2018 is never eligible for deemed rehabilitation — Criminal Rehabilitation is required.
You can reapply after addressing the reasons for refusal. The most common cause is insufficient evidence of rehabilitation — stronger character references, proof of completed treatment programs, or volunteer work can strengthen a new application. Working with an experienced immigration lawyer from the start significantly reduces this risk.
While not legally required, rehabilitation applications involve complex legal analysis — identifying the equivalent Canadian offence, documenting your rehabilitation, and assembling a complete evidentiary package. Small errors or missing documents commonly cause delays or refusals. An experienced lawyer improves the quality of your application and your chances of approval.
Ready to clear your inadmissibility permanently? Our legal team will carefully assess your situation and provide clear guidance on the strongest path to approval.
Schedule a free confidential consultation — same business day response.