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Last verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca← Back to IRPA ExplorerLast verified: June 2026 · Source: justice.gc.ca
PART 1: Immigration to CanadaDIVISION 4: Inadmissibility
§37

Organized criminality

Organized criminality

InadmissibilityCriminal
🍁 In Simple Terms

Belonging to a group behind a pattern of planned crime is enough, and so is people smuggling, human trafficking or money laundering in a cross-border operation. One protection is written right in: being smuggled into Canada by someone involved in organized crime does not by itself make you inadmissible.

Affects: Anyone entering or staying in Canada
Legal Text: IRPA Section 37

(1)A permanent resident or a foreign national is inadmissible on grounds of organized criminality for (a)being a member of an organization that is believed on reasonable grounds to be or to have been engaged in activity that is part of a pattern of criminal activity planned and organized by a number of persons acting in concert in furtherance of the commission of an offence punishable under an Act of Parliament by way of indictment, or in furtherance of the commission of an offence outside Canada that, if committed in Canada, would constitute such an offence, or engaging in activity that is part of such a pattern; or (b)engaging, in the context of transnational crime, in activities such as people smuggling, trafficking in persons or laundering of money or other proceeds of crime.

In Practice
Official Source: Justice Canada: IRPA s. 37 (authoritative, may differ from this display)
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