Canadian immigration and citizenship inadmissibility
Convicted of driving while impaired
If you’ve been convicted of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, including cannabis, you may be inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality, whether the crime happened in Canada or outside Canada.
If that’s the case, there are options for you to enter Canada temporarily, or to become admissible again.
Become admissible again
If you committed an impaired driving offence before December 18, 2018
Tougher penalties for impaired driving came into effect on December 18, 2018. If you committed an impaired driving offence before this date, we’ll determine if you’re inadmissible based on the penalties in force at the time.
You may be found to be inadmissible for criminality, and not serious criminality, unless you received a prison sentence in Canada longer than 6 months. If this is the case, you may be eligible for deemed rehabilitation if at least 10 years has passed since you completed your sentence.
If you were convicted outside Canada
You can apply for rehabilitation if at least 5 years must have passed since either
- the end of your criminal sentence (this includes probation), or
- the day you committed the act that made you inadmissible
If you were convicted in Canada
If you were convicted of driving while impaired in Canada, you must apply for a record suspension.
Enter Canada temporarily
You can apply for a temporary resident permit (TRP) to enter Canada temporarily.
To get a TRP, you must
- apply for temporary residence outside Canada or at a port of entry
- prove that you have a compelling reason to enter Canada temporarily
- pay the TRP processing fee.
There is no guarantee that you’ll be issued a TRP or be authorized to enter Canada.
We only issue TRPs for compelling reasons and at the discretion of an officer. To get a TRP, your need to enter or stay in Canada must outweigh the health or safety risks to Canadian society, as determined by the officer.
When you arrive at a port of entry with a TRP, Canada Border Services Agency officers will verify your information again and decide whether you can enter Canada. Even with a valid TRP, border services officers can refuse you entry to Canada.