Skip to main content

Criminal Code

s. 344 Robbery

  • Theft, Fraud & Property
  • Theft & Fraud
Maximum sentence
Life imprisonment
Classification
Indictable

Last verified: June 2026 · Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

The law says

Criminal Code s. 344
Verify on justice.gc.ca(opens in a new tab)
  • (1)Every person who commits robbery is guilty of an indictable offence and liable (a) if a restricted firearm or prohibited firearm is used in the commission of the offence or if any firearm is used in the commission of the offence and the offence is committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organization, to imprisonment for life and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of (i) in the case of a first offence, five years, and (ii) in the case of a second or subsequent offence, seven years; (a.1) [Repealed, 2022, c. 15, s. 12]
  • (b)in any other case, to imprisonment for life.
  • (2)In determining, for the purpose of paragraph (1)(a), whether a convicted person has committed a second or subsequent offence, if the person was earlier convicted of any of the following offences, that offence is to be considered as an earlier offence:
  • (a)an offence under this section;
  • (b)an offence under subsection 85(1) or (2) or section 244 or 244.2; or
  • (c)an offence under section 220, 236, 239, 272 or 273, subsection 279(1) or section 279.1 or 346 if a firearm was used in the commission of the offence. However, an earlier offence shall not be taken into account if 10 years have elapsed between the day on which the person was convicted of the earlier offence and the day on which the person was convicted of the offence for which sentence is being imposed, not taking into account any time in custody.
  • (3)For the purposes of subsection (2), the only question to be considered is the sequence of convictions and no consideration shall be given to the sequence of commission of offences or whether any offence occurred before or after any conviction.
Amendment History (5)
  • R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 344
  • 1995, c. 39, s. 149
  • 2008, c. 6, s. 32
  • 2009, c. 22, s. 14
  • 2022, c. 15, s. 12

Justice Laws is the authoritative version. If this copy and it ever differ, Justice Laws wins.

Immigration

Where this offence sits under IRPA

The Crown must charge robbery by indictment, and it can bring a life sentence. A conviction is treated as serious criminality under IRPA s.36(1). The immigration effects are severe and lasting. Deemed rehabilitation is not available. The route is a record suspension for a conviction in Canada (s.36(3)(b)), or an application to be found rehabilitated for one outside Canada (s.36(3)(c)).

This is how the law sorts the offence, not a reading of any one record. An officer decides each case.

IRPA sections involved

Guides on offences like this one

No guide cites this section directly. These guides cite related offences.