What is Inadmissibility in Canada?
Immigration to Canada is a long and complicated process. A person needs to meet certain criteria in order to become an immigrant, and once they do, they are allowed to live in Canada permanently. There are many different ways of getting into Canada as an immigrant, and many different circumstances that can cause someone’s immigration status to change. Inadmissibility in Canada implies that you are not “allowed” to enter the country. There are various reasons an immigrant might not be allowed to enter or settle in Canada despite being eligible through any of the immigration programs.
“Admissibility Canada”: Overview
The Government of Canada is working to improve and modernize the visa process by centralizing more overseas processing in Canada.
Overseas visa screening is an important tool in preventing the entry of individuals who may pose a threat to Canadians, and is vital for maintaining program integrity.
Canada’s immigration policies include a list of grounds upon which an individual can be found inadmissible.
Inadmissibility Canada has a variety of causes, including medical issues or criminal history.
Who is Admissible to Canada?
Whoever abides by the Canadian laws and has all the valid documents would be admissible to Canada.
If you’re found to be inadmissible, a visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) will not be issued and a border official may refuse your entry into Canada.
Inadmissibility refers to being ineligible to enter a country. A person is considered inadmissible if they do not meet the requirements of that country to enter or don’t fall within the category of reasonable exceptions. The most common reasons for inadmissibility are criminal charges and medical conditions, but other categories can apply.
Medical Inadmissibility to Canada
Canada may refuse to admit a person because of their health status. This occurs when an illness threatens the well-being or safety of Canadians.
Similarly, a person might be denied entry if an immigration officer decides that they will likely place an undue burden on the Canadian health and social services system.
Criminal inadmissibility to Canada
A person might potentially face criminal inadmissibility to Canada if he/she has been convicted of, or committed a crime in their home country and that crime is equivalent to one under Canadian law.
It is important to know that not all crimes and convictions make a person inadmissible to Canada. The crime has to be of certain severity before it will affect one’s immigration status.
Driving under the influence (DUI) is one of the most common reason that people are deemed inadmissible to Canada, but it isn’t the only one. Theft, reckless driving and assault convictions can also pose problems for would-be immigrants when they try to cross the border.
9 Reasons Why you Might be Inadmissible to Canada
1. Inadmissibility due to Security concerns, the Canadian Port Authority can deny entry to those who have committed acts such as espionage, subversion (attempts to overthrow a government), violence or terrorism.
2. Human or international rights violations, including war crimes and other offenses against humanity.
3. You could be found inadmissible to Canada if you have committed a crime. This includes driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, fraud, theft and a few others.
4. Membership in a criminal organization, such as the Mafia or Russian mob; human trafficking and smuggling; and illegal money-making schemes.
5. Medical reasons – this includes medical conditions that could endanger public health and safety, or cause excessive burden on the social services system (some applicants are exempt).
6. Canada has stringent rules on immigration, one of the main conditions of residency is to prove your financial health and stability. If you’re unable or unwilling to support yourself and your family members, you will be found inadmissible to Canada.
7. The misrepresentation of facts or failure to disclose relevant information in applications made under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)
8. You could be found inadmissible to Canada if you: Fail to comply with any provision of IRPA.
9. If you have an inadmissible family member, you may be turned down for entry to Canada.
What to do if you’re inadmissible?
If your reasons for wanting to visit Canada are compelling enough, you might be able to apply for a temporary resident permit.
To qualify for a temporary resident permit, you must convince an immigration or border services officer that your need to enter or stay in Canada outweighs any risk you might pose to the health and safety of Canadian society.
Even minor reasons for inadmissibility can make it hard to justify a visa application.
It is up to the visa officer’s discretion whether or not a temporary resident permit will be issued.
Canada Inadmissibility Cases- Applying for Temporary Resident Permit
1. If Inadmissibility Case is eTA-required:
If you are a citizen of a country that requires an eTA and your application for an electronic travel authorization has been refused, you might be issued a temporary resident permit in case you need to travel to Canada.
This depends on the nature and circumstances surrounding your inadmissibility as well as why it is imperative that you visit Canada during this time period.
Depending on your country or region, the visa officer responsible for your case may have its own application form for temporary resident permits. Find out exactly how to apply by checking with that particular visa office.
2. If Inadmissibility Case is visa-required:
You must submit a visitor visa application and documents to support your request for an exception to the inadmissibility rule.
An officer may interview you to evaluate your application for a license or permit.
3. If Inadmissibility Case is Criminally Convicted:
Canada’s immigration law states that if you have committed or been convicted of a crime, you may not be allowed into the country.
If you are convicted of a crime and more than 5 years have passed since the completion of any sentence imposed on you, or if it has been 10 years since the commission of an offense, then as long as no other convictions exist in this time period and significant changes have taken place for good behavior that reflect positively on your character (ie steady employment history, volunteer activities etc.), there may be grounds to returning back to Canada.
Duration of your stay in Canada
Temporary resident permits are generally issued for the length of your visit—for example, a permit that allows you to stay in Canada for one week may accompany an application made by someone who wants to attend a conference here. If you don’t leave Canada before the expiry date of your current permit or apply for renewed permission before it expires then authorities can regard this as illegal residence and deport you if they catch up with you.
This permit may be revoked at any time by an authorized officer.
If you leave Canada without obtaining permission to re-enter, your permit will no longer be valid.
Inadmissibility in Canada ensures that the security and peace is never threatened and is constantly maintained in the Canadian society.
