Do I need a police certificate for Express Entry to Canada?
The Express Entry to Canada program requires applicants to supply a number of documents in the application process. One of the items on the Express Entry document checklist is a police certificate. Police certificates are required for any individual who is over the age of 18 and wishes to immigrate to Canada.
What is a police certificate?
A police certificate is a copy of your criminal record, or a statement that you do not have a criminal record. A police certificate will allow the government to determine if the applicant poses a security risk to Canada. Police certificates may have different names in other countries. Some of which include police clearance certificates, good conduct certificates, or judicial record extracts.
How long is a police certificate valid for?
The police certificate must have been issued no more than six months before the submission of the Express Entry application.
How do I get a police certificate?
To obtain a police certificate, you must contact the police or government. You will likely need to provide them with personal identification information and documents, such as photographs, fingerprints, and previous home addresses. You may also be required to pay a fee.
When do I submit my police certificate?
Express Entry candidates have 90 days to submit their police certificate. We recommend you apply for your police certificate as soon as possible to meet this deadline. In addition, if your certificate is not written in an official Canadian language (English or French), you should send along a translation of the document, completed by a certified translator. Police certificates need to be submitted as a scan of the original document, in colour.
What if I have lived in multiple different countries in the past?
The Canadian government has recently issued an update for police certificate requirements for the Express Entry program. Police certificates are now required up front and are mandatory for each country where an individual has spent six months or more in a row within the last 10 years since the age of 18.
What happens if I have a criminal record?
If you have a criminal record, you may not be allowed to enter or stay in Canada. You may be deemed inadmissible for any criminal convictions inside or outside Canada. If your application has been refused or denied, there are steps you can take to overcome your inadmissibility.
Our Services
Calver and Associates is a leading provider of Canadian Immigration services in Durham Region. We serve clients in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, and beyond. Our Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant has over 10 years of experience in Canadian Immigration law and over four years of experience serving those in the Oshawa area.
We can provide assistance with applications for both temporary and permanent residency in Canada. We handle applications for study permits, permanent residency, family class sponsorship, visitor visas, work permits, and Canadian citizenship. We also handle criminal inadmissibility cases by developing remedies for refusal.
