Canada Pardons Overview

Canada Pardons Overview

Honestly, there aren’t a lot of us who are truly familiar with how pardons in Canada work.  There are slightly more who know what makes up a criminal record, but it’s common for individuals to be the last to know when their criminal record comes back to haunt them.  It could be in the form of a rejected job application or having to stay home while the person’s family is off enjoying their overseas vacation.  So what makes up a criminal record?  How can you file for a Canada pardon?

As per Canadian law, criminal records contain every offense an individual was charged with, even those where he/she was not convicted.  Depending on the gravity of the offense, these can stay on one’s record between three and ten years.  The same applies for young offenders less than 18 years old – the crimes stay on record for three to ten years and the crime doesn’t disappear on the offender’s 18^th birthday.  It may sound harsh, but that’s how the law works.

Filing a pardon, on the other hand, is what you need to do to have that crime stricken from your record.  The person would first have to serve time or pay fines relating to his/her crime.  The Canada pardon process, which is best facilitated by a third-party pardon service, may take at least a year to complete.  Also, the pardon would only be valid for use within Canada, but not outside the country.

This article does not constitute legal advice and the writer holds no responsibility for any improper pardon filing that may lead to unwanted results.  For certified professional advice, please do contact a solicitor or lawyer for any questions on Canada pardons. 

To find more information about Canada Pardons application, click here.