What police clearances do I need for a Canadian immigration application through OINP?
Police clearance certificates are a federal IRCC requirement for permanent residence applications — they are not specifically an OINP provincial requirement. Generally, you must provide a police clearance from every country where you have lived for six months or more since turning 18 (or since a younger age in some countries). This includes Canada itself if you have lived here for six months or longer.
The process and format differ by country. Some countries issue national certificates; others issue only regional or local ones. Some countries cannot or do not issue certificates, in which case IRCC has guidance on what alternative documentation to provide. IRCC's online instructions for your specific application will specify the requirements.
Police clearances have validity windows — they must be recent enough at the time IRCC processes your application. Obtaining them too early means you may need to renew them. Obtaining them at the right time requires understanding when your federal PR application is likely to be reviewed.
Working backward from expected IRCC processing timelines and getting certificates at the appropriate time is important. If you have lived in multiple countries, allow extra time — some countries take weeks or months to issue certificates.
Key takeaways
- Police clearances are required for every country you have lived in for six months or more since age 18.
- This is a federal IRCC requirement, not an OINP one.
- Format and availability differ by country — some countries cannot issue certificates.
- Obtain clearances at the right time — too early and they may expire before IRCC reviews your file.