Eased Canada immigration rules for minor convictions

Canada, 1st May: Canada is going to play easy by allowing foreigners guilty of minor convictions.

That’s what the new Canada immigration rules for foreigners with minor convictions say.

Changed Temporary Residence Permit for minor convictions—As per latest changes introduced on 1st March this year, a foreigner guilty of one misdemeanor conviction will be able to get a one-time pass for crossing the border and skipping the application system.

Such foreigners are likely to be granted a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) at any Canadian port of entry without shelling out $200 as regular processing fees.

Minor offenses like shoplifting or any criminal mischief is included in misdemeanor convictions. A point worth consideration here is that those making application at any Canadian port of entry are eligible for such relaxation and not those making applications through any visa office.

Aim of new eased Canada immigration rules is to increase awareness with regard to admissibility conditions in Canada while assuring trouble-free travel to Canada. It will ease things for both CBSA officials as well as travelers.

Following to certain conditions for issuance of the TRP to any minor convictions, it is wholly at the discretion of the concerned CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency) official to decide whether or not to allow the person into the nation.

Following are the pre-requisites for issuance of the TRP—

• The foreign national guilty of any minor conviction has not received any imprisonment under the imposed sentence; and

• He or she is not involved in any other conviction or has not committed any other criminal acts rendering the individual inadmissible.

The condition of fee payment may be waived off for any foreign national by the CBSA official if he confirms that the above two conditions have been fulfilled.

In such a case, the official may issue a TRP to the individual.

What is a TRP—A TRP or a Temporary Residence Permit is granted to persons not admissible into Canada on the basis of security or health reasons. There is a difference between a Temporary Residence Visa (TRV) and a TRP.

While a TRV is deemed to be a compulsory document for all foreigners seeking a Canada visa for coming here irrespective of their personal background.

Another point worth notable here is that any foreigner hailing from a nation having a non-rehabilitated criminal conviction needs to make application for a TRV and a TRP.

A TRP is the only requirement for coming to Canada for foreign nationals with non-rehabilitated criminal convictions from visa-exempt nations including the US.