Can I get permanent residence in Canada if I have a criminal record?

A criminal record can make you inadmissible to Canada under federal law, which can prevent you from obtaining permanent residence. Immigration is federal — IRCC and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) assess admissibility. Ontario courts have no role in this determination. Whether a foreign conviction makes you inadmissible depends on what the equivalent Canadian offence would be and the sentence imposed.

There are mechanisms to overcome criminal inadmissibility. If enough time has passed since completing your sentence, you may be deemed rehabilitated by operation of law for less serious offences. For other situations, you can apply for an individual determination of rehabilitation through IRCC. A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) allows someone who is inadmissible to enter Canada temporarily for a compelling reason, but it is not a pathway to PR on its own.

The analysis is highly fact-specific — the same foreign conviction may or may not create inadmissibility depending on how it is classified under Canadian law. Some convictions that are serious in other countries are treated differently in Canada and vice versa. This is an area where early legal advice is essential. Do not assume a clean record in your home country means you are admissible, or that a single minor conviction necessarily bars you.