Skip to main content

How long after a conviction can you enter Canada?

It depends on the offence and its date. An application for criminal rehabilitation opens five years after the sentence ends. Deemed rehabilitation needs 10 years for one foreign conviction with a Canadian maximum under 10 years, such as a DUI before December 18, 2018. A DUI on or after that date is serious criminality, and no deemed class covers it.

Your answers stay in this browser. Nothing is sent.

Where did it happen?
How this is worked out

Answer a few short questions. The tool shows which rehabilitation rules in IRPA s.36 and IRPR r.17 to r.18.1 match your answers, and the dates those rules give. An officer makes every decision.

Dates count from the exact day you entered. IRCC counts from the exact day each part of the sentence ended.

Off unless you turn it on, because these answers are sensitive. When it is on, your answers are kept on this device only, in this browser. Nothing is sent to us. Turn it off, or use the erase button, to remove them.

What the rules give for your answers

Answer the questions above to see the rules and the dates.

Or load a made-up example:

The law behind the dates

The rehabilitation rules, side by side.

Every date this calculator gives comes from these provisions of IRPA and IRPR. Pick a rule to read the official text beside what it means.

Pick a rule
IRPA s.36(3)(c)

Rehabilitation

The law says

The following provisions govern subsections (1) to (2.1): … (c) the matters referred to in paragraphs (1)(b) and (c) and (2)(b) and (c) do not constitute inadmissibility in respect of a permanent resident or foreign national who, after the prescribed period, satisfies the Minister that they have been rehabilitated or who is a member of a prescribed class that is deemed to have been rehabilitated;

What that means

Rehabilitation is the way out for a conviction or an act outside Canada, and there are two routes. After the waiting period, a person can apply and satisfy the Minister that they are rehabilitated. Or time alone can do it, for people in a class the regulations deem rehabilitated. Neither route covers a conviction in Canada. A record suspension does that (s.36(3)(b)).

IRPR s.17

When an application can be made

The law says

For the purposes of paragraph 36(3)(c) of the Act, the prescribed period is five years (a) after the completion of an imposed sentence, … (b) after committing an offence, …

What that means

This sets how long you wait before you can ask the Minister to find you rehabilitated for a criminal matter. The wait is five years. It runs from the day after you finished your sentence, or from the day of the act itself if there was no conviction. A new conviction inside that window sends you back to the start. A ticket-style contravention or an old youth-court matter does not reset it.

IRPR s.18(2)(a)

Deemed rehabilitation after 10 years

The law says

The following persons are members of the class of persons deemed to have been rehabilitated: … (a) persons who have been convicted outside Canada of no more than one offence that, if committed in Canada, would constitute an indictable offence under an Act of Parliament, if all of the following conditions apply, namely, (i) the offence is punishable in Canada by a maximum term of imprisonment of less than 10 years, (ii) at least 10 years have elapsed since the day after the completion of the imposed sentence, …

What that means

One conviction abroad can clear with time alone, with no application. The Canadian equivalent must carry a maximum under 10 years, and 10 years must pass from the day after the sentence ended. The regulation lists more conditions, such as no other convictions since. An officer decides whether they are all met.

IRPR s.18(2)(b)

Deemed rehabilitation after 5 years

The law says

(b) persons convicted outside Canada of two or more offences that, if committed in Canada, would constitute summary conviction offences under any Act of Parliament, if all of the following conditions apply, namely, (i) at least five years have elapsed since the day after the completion of the imposed sentences, …

What that means

Two or more convictions abroad can also clear with time alone, if each offence would be summary only in Canada. Five years must pass from the day after the sentences ended, with no other convictions since. Most Criminal Code offences can be tried either way, and those count as indictable, so this class is narrow.

IRPR s.18.1

Summary convictions in Canada

The law says

The class of foreign nationals who are inadmissible solely on the basis of having been convicted in Canada of two or more offences that may only be prosecuted summarily, under any Act of Parliament, is a prescribed class for the application of paragraph 36(2)(a) of the Act. … A member of the class prescribed in subsection (1) is exempt from the application of paragraph 36(2)(a) of the Act if it has been at least five years since the day after the completion of the imposed sentences.

What that means

Two or more summary convictions in Canada normally make a foreign national inadmissible, which means not allowed to enter or stay. Summary offences are the less serious kind. This rule builds in a way out. Once five years have passed since you finished every sentence, that ground stops applying to you. Nothing needs to be filed, because the passage of time does the work.

The official text, and what it says. An officer decides every case.

The law behind the tool

Seven rules decide every date on this page

Each one links to its text on this site.

IRPA s.36(1)Serious criminalityA Canadian maximum of 10 years or more, or a Canadian prison term over six months.IRPA s.36(2)CriminalityAn offence that would be indictable in Canada, or two offences.IRPA s.36(3)(a)Hybrid counts as indictableEven when the offence was prosecuted summarily.IRPA s.36(3)(b),(c)Two routes outA record suspension for Canadian convictions. Rehabilitation, approved or deemed, for foreign ones.IRPR r.17Five years before an applicationCounted from the end of the sentence, or from the act.IRPR r.18Three deemed classesOne offence after 10 years, two or more summary-only offences after 5, one act after 10.IRPR r.18.1Summary-only convictions in CanadaTwo or more stop counting under s.36(2)(a) after five years.

Worked examples

Five cases, step by step

Made-up cases that show how the rules work. Each one ends the same way: an officer decides.

One US DUI from 2016
  1. Offence June 10, 2016, probation ended March 15, 2017. No one was hurt.
  2. Before December 18, 2018, so IRCC judges it on the old 5-year maximum. Hybrid, so criminality under IRPA s.36(2)(b).
  3. One conviction, maximum under 10 years: IRPR r.18(2)(a). Ten years from the day after March 15, 2017 is March 16, 2027.
  4. A criminal rehabilitation application was possible from March 15, 2022 (IRPR r.17(a)).

An officer decides.

Two shoplifting convictions
  1. Two thefts under $5,000 abroad. The last sentence ended August 1, 2020.
  2. Canadian match: Criminal Code s.334(b), maximum 2 years, hybrid. Hybrid counts as indictable (IRPA s.36(3)(a)).
  3. IRPR r.18(2)(b) needs every offence to be summary only, and r.18(2)(a) allows only one indictable offence. No deemed date.
  4. Application possible from August 1, 2025 (five years), fee $246.25.

An officer decides.

One assault causing bodily harm
  1. One conviction abroad. The sentence ended April 30, 2019.
  2. Canadian match: Criminal Code s.267, maximum 10 years.
  3. Ten years or more is serious criminality (IRPA s.36(1)(b)). No deemed class covers it.
  4. Application possible from April 30, 2024 (five years, IRPR r.17(a)), fee $1,231.

An officer decides.

Two convictions for causing a disturbance
  1. Two separate incidents abroad. The last fine was paid May 10, 2019.
  2. Canadian match: Criminal Code s.175, summary conviction only.
  3. Two summary-only offences: IRPR r.18(2)(b). Five years from the day after May 10, 2019 is May 11, 2024. The rule lists other conditions too.
  4. The five-year period in IRPR r.17(a) ends May 10, 2024. For this case, IRCC’s guide 5312 says "not applicable" for applying for rehabilitation.

An officer decides.

One US DUI from 2021
  1. Offence July 4, 2021, probation ended July 4, 2022. No one was hurt.
  2. On or after December 18, 2018, the Canadian maximum is 10 years (Criminal Code s.320.19(1)). That is serious criminality under IRPA s.36(1)(b).
  3. IRPR r.18(2) needs a maximum under 10 years, so there is no ten-year mark.
  4. Application possible from July 4, 2027 (five years, IRPR r.17(a)), fee $1,231.

An officer decides.

Next steps

Where to read more

Look up a Canadian offence and its maximumCriminal equivalency: sections, maximums and the s.36 class that follows.Deemed rehabilitation guideThe three classes in IRPR r.18, condition by condition.How a criminal rehabilitation application worksForms, documents and the IRCC fee.Impaired driving and entry to CanadaThe December 18, 2018 change in detail.Temporary Resident PermitTravel while inadmissible, one trip at a time.Record suspension and expungementWhy a foreign expungement is not a Canadian record suspension.Pending chargesWhat applies before a court has decided.

Frequently asked questions

What is deemed rehabilitation?

Deemed rehabilitation is rehabilitation by law, with no application and no fee. Under IRPR r.18(2), it covers one foreign conviction with a Canadian maximum under 10 years once 10 years have passed since the sentence ended, or two or more summary-only convictions after 5 years, when every other condition is met. It never covers serious criminality. An officer checks the conditions at entry. Deemed rehabilitation, condition by condition

What is criminal rehabilitation?

Criminal rehabilitation is an application to IRCC to be treated as rehabilitated for a conviction or an act outside Canada (IRPA s.36(3)(c)). IRPR r.17 allows it five years after the whole sentence ended, or five years after the act, and it covers serious criminality too. Once approved, it removes that ground of inadmissibility. IRCC decides, and says these applications can take over a year to process. Criminal rehabilitation, explained

How do I apply for criminal rehabilitation?

The application is form IMM 1444, sent with identity documents, court records, proof that the sentence ended, evidence of rehabilitation and the IRCC fee. It goes to the Canadian visa office responsible for the applicant’s country of residence, once at least five years have passed since the sentence ended. A port of entry processes one only at the officer’s discretion, so the visa office route is the standard one. How a criminal rehabilitation application works

How much does criminal rehabilitation cost?

The IRCC fee is $246.25 when the offence is criminality and $1,231 when it is serious criminality, meaning a Canadian maximum of 10 years or more. The form is the same either way; only the fee differs. A Temporary Resident Permit, for a trip while a person is inadmissible, costs $246.25. Deemed rehabilitation has no fee, because there is no application. IRCC fee calculator

How long after a DWI can I go to Canada?

It depends on when the offence was committed. A DWI before December 18, 2018 is judged on the 5-year maximum then in force. For a single conviction, IRPR r.18(2)(a) sets a ten-year period, counted from the day after the whole sentence ended, and lists other conditions, such as no other conviction in those ten years. From December 18, 2018 the maximum is 10 years: serious criminality, which r.18(2) does not cover. In both cases IRPR r.17(a) sets five years after the sentence ended before an application for criminal rehabilitation. An officer decides. Impaired driving and entry to Canada

When does the waiting period start?

On the day the whole sentence ended: jail, parole or probation over, every fine paid, and any driving ban over. The deemed periods count from the day after that date, and an application under IRPR r.17 opens five years after it. For an act outside Canada with no conviction, the count starts on the day of the act. IRCC counts from the exact day each part of the sentence ended. Read IRPR r.17

What about a conviction in Canada?

Deemed rehabilitation and criminal rehabilitation do not apply to convictions in Canada (IRPA s.36(3)(c)). The route is a record suspension from the Parole Board of Canada, after which the conviction can no longer be a basis for inadmissibility (IRPA s.36(3)(b)). IRPR r.18.1 adds one exemption: two or more summary-only convictions in Canada stop counting under s.36(2)(a) five years after the sentences ended. Record suspension and expungement

Read deeper

The rule behind this tool: the law itself, and what it means.

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.

Related tools and guides

Rules checked against IRPA s.36, IRPR r.17, r.18 and r.18.1, IRCC's criminality pages, IRCC guide 5312 and the IRCC fee list: November 11, 2026