A record suspension permits individuals who were convicted of a criminal offence, however have finished their sentence and exhibited they are law-abiding citizens for a given number of years, to have their criminal record kept isolated and separated from other criminal records.
Receiving a pardon/record suspension ensures you won’t have to worry about interferences in your everyday life. Having a criminal record could affect your life in ways you might not even think about.
Most employers request local and/or federal criminal record checks during the hiring process. Finding out that there is a criminal record could negatively impact your chances of getting a job. Even if you are currently employed, policies regarding criminal record searches are constantly being updated and you may be required to complete one, not having a clear criminal record may result in job loss.
Many agencies conduct criminal record searches before hiring volunteers and not having a clear criminal record could be a hindrance. Even if you want to volunteer at your child’s school or go on a field trip with them, if your criminal record check shows that you have a criminal record you will be unable to go with them.
CIC often rejects applications for refugee status, landed status and citizenship, and frequently deport people who have criminal records.
Many educational programs, especially ones dealing with vulnerable people will require a criminal record search. This can prove to be especially constricting if you are interested in programs such as teaching, social work, daycare work, etc.
Getting a pardon/record suspension puts you back in control of your life and gives you the freedom to live your life without interruptions. It’s the first step towards a stress-free life in which you can no longer be held back by your past.
Eligibility depends on your charges:
The eligibility time period begins once a person has completed all sentences, which includes:
All fines, surcharges, costs, restitution and compensation orders.
All sentences of imprisonment, conditional sentence order.
Any probation order(s).
It takes an average of 12-24 months for a pardon/record suspension application to be processed and granted. However, to prepare the pardon/record suspension application, many documents must be collected. Acquiring the proper supporting documents takes between 3-10 months. Therefore, it is a good idea to start preparing the application well in advance of your eligibility date. Typically, we must obtain RCMP reports and relevant court documents to calculate exact eligibility dates.
