If you have a criminal record in Canada, it can limit your ability to find work, travel, find housing, and live an uninhibited life.

Express Pardons is on the front lines of standing up for the rights of Canadians with Criminal Records.

There are a number of solutions to the problem of a criminal record, but that very much depends on the nature of your criminal record, and what you hope to do. For example, if your problem is that you have been denied entry to the US by the US Customs and Border Protection Services, then you need a US Waiver. A pardon (or Record Suspension) will be of no use in this scenario.

If you are in need of clearing a record to pass an employment or education background check, then depending on the nature of your criminal record, you may require a pardon also known as a Record Suspension or a Record Purge.

Scroll through the eligibility tabs here to read more about the options and eligibility for these criminal record removal solutions.

Wondering if you are eligible to get a pardon? To apply for a pardon, and to get a Canada pardon requires that you can demonstrate that you meet the pardon eligibility requirements.

To meet the Canada pardon eligibility requirements and apply for a pardon in Canada, sufficient time must have passed since your last offence. Criminal records in Canada are categorized as either "indictable" (or criminal records tried by indictment), or "summary" (or criminal records tried summarily).

Summary criminal records are for minor offences and currently have a pardon eligibility waiting period of 3 years from the completion of your sentence to get a pardon.

Indictable criminal records are for more serious offences and currently carry a pardon eligibility waiting period of 5 years from the completion of your sentence to get a pardon.

A few serious offences carry a pardon eligibility waiting period of 10 years.

You can apply for a pardon up to one year before your pardon eligibility date.

Not sure if your criminal record is "summary" or "indictable"? The Canada pardon experts are here to help you apply for a pardon:

• Driving Under the Influence
• Simple Possession
• Theft Under $5000
• Fraud Under $5000
• Mischief
• Failure to Appear
• Breach of Probation
• Assault

• Robbery
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking
• Theft Over $5000
• Fraud Over $5000
• Breaking and Entering
• Trafficking in Narcotic/Controlled Substance
• Conspiracy
• Assault Aggravated/Causing Bodily Harm

Part of the pardon eligibility to get a pardon requires that you complete your sentences (excluding prohibition of driver's license and firearms). The Parole Board of Canada considers fines to be part of the criminal record sentence. So to be eligible for a Canada pardon, at least 2 years must have passed since you paid your last summary offence fine, or 4 years for an indictable offence, before you can apply for a pardon in Canada.

If you are not sure if you meet the pardon eligibility requirements, or if you are close to meeting pardon eligibility requirements, you should apply for a pardon through our secure online pardon application system or request a free pardon consultation, and a pardon expert at Express Pardons Canada will be in touch to assist you determine your pardon eligibility and help you get a pardon.

Call 1-866-416-6772 or complete a pardon application online, or see the pardon eligibility calculator

Wondering if you are eligible to get a United States waiver? To apply for a US Waiver, and to regain entry to the United States requires that you can demonstrate that you meet the US Waiver eligibility requirements.

There is no waiting period required to meet US entry waiver eligibility requirements and apply for a US entry waiver. That being said, the length of time tat has elapsed since a criminal offence is taken into account in considering and evaluating a United States waiver application.

You are eligible for US Entry waiver at any time!

A US entry waiver is granted based on three US waiver eligibility criteria:

1. The risk of harm to the United States if you are admitted.
2. The seriuosness of your criminal record.
3. Your purpose for entering the United States

Express Pardons Canada has helped thousands with criminal records regain entry to the United States with a US entry waiver. Express Pardons Canada builds your case for a US waiver by addressing the United States waiver eligibility criteria in your application, giving you the best possible chance at a long-term United States waiver.

Not sure if you meet the US Waiver eligibility requirements?

Request a free US Waiver Consultation and a criminal record Expert at Express Pardons Canada will be in touch to assist you. Or, apply for a US Waiver through our secure online waiver application system.

Call 1-866-416-6772 or complete a US Waiver application online, or see the US Waiver Eligibility.

Wondering if you are eligible to get a record purge? To apply for a record purge which is a record destruction and full record removal process, requires that you meet the record destruction eligibility requirements.

When is a record purge necessary to remove a criminal record?

If you have an actual conviction, you have a criminal record, and you need a record suspension (link to /record-suspension-eligibility/), not a record destruction.

You are eligible to apply for a record purge at any time, there is no purge eligibility waiting period.

In order to receive a file destruction, you cannot have a criminal case pending before the courts.

A record purge, or file destruction will destroy a non-conviction record.

A non-conviction record occurs whenever there is a police incident that results in arrest, or a court appearance without being convicted. In some instances there is a stay of proceedings, withdrawn or dismissal, or the Crown Prosecutor decides to drop the case due to lack of evidence.

To be eligible to have a non-conviction record file destruction, you cannot have a full conviction record in another jurisdiction.

Express Pardons Canada completes a Canada-wide search for criminal record information before proceeding with the record destruction. If a conviction record is found in this criminal record search, Express Pardons Canada will contact you to change your service to a Canadian Pardon.

You are eligible to apply for a record purge at anytime! Express Pardons stands ready to assist now!

There is no waiting period to apply for a file destruction, you may apply for a record destruction immediately after an arrest, or appearing in court.

Because local police have a say in the success of a file purge and file destruction, a current investigation or suspected criminal activity would pose a significant obstacle to a record removal process.

Any withdrawn charge, stay of proceedings, or acquittal record is eligible fore a record removal.

For conditional or absolute discharges, only records created before July 24, 1992 are eligible for a record removal.

Discharges that occurred after July 24, 1992 are automatically removed.

While a non-conviction record is not the same as a criminal record, it can show up in background checks for employment and travel. A record removal by Express Pardons Canada means you can put your past behind you.

Call 1-866-416-6772 or complete a Record Purge Application online from Express Pardons Canada, or see the Record Purge Eligibility Calculator.

Wondering if you are eligible to get a record suspension? To apply for a record suspension, and to get a Canadian record suspension requires that you can demonstrate that you meet the record suspension eligibility requirements.

To meet the Canadian record suspension eligibility requirements and apply for a record suspension in Canada, sufficient time must have passed since your last offence. Criminal records in Canada are categorized as either "indictable" (or criminal records tried by indictment), or "summary" (or criminal records tried summarily).

Summary criminal records are for minor offences and currently have a record suspension eligibility waiting period of 5 years from the completion of your sentence to get a record suspension.

Indictable criminal records are for more serious offences and currently carry a record suspension eligibility waiting period of 10 years from the completion of your sentence to get a record suspension.

A few serious offences carry a record suspension eligibility waiting period of over 10 years.

You can apply for a record suspension up to one year before your record suspension eligibility date.

Not sure if your criminal record is "summary" or "indictable"? The Canadian record suspension experts are here to help you apply for a record suspension:

Common Summary Offences (5 Year Record Suspension Eligibility Waiting Period):

• Driving Under the Influence
• Simple Possession
• Theft Under $5000
• Fraud Under $5000
• Mischief
• Failure to Appear
• Breach of Probation
• Assault

Common Indictable Criminal Records (10 Year Record Suspension Eligibility Waiting Period):

• Robbery
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking
• Theft Over $5000
• Fraud Over $5000
• Breaking and Entering
• Trafficking in Narcotic/Controlled Substance
• Conspiracy
• Assault Aggravated/Causing Bodily Harm

To Apply For A Record Suspension, A Sentence Must Be Complete, But When Is The Sentence Complete?

Part of the record suspension eligibility to get a record suspension requires that you complete your sentences (excluding prohibition of driver's license and firearms). The Parole Board of Canada considers fines to be part of the criminal record sentence. So to be eligible for a Canadian record suspension, at least 4 years must have passed since you paid your last summary offence fine, or 9 years for an indictable offence, before you can apply for a record suspension in Canada.

If you are not sure if you meet the record suspension eligibility requirements, or if you are close to meeting the record suspension eligibility requirements, you should apply for a record suspension through our secure online record suspensions application system or request a free record suspension consultation, and a record suspension expert at Express Pardons Canada will be in touch to assist you determine your record suspension eligibility and help you get a record suspension.

Call 1-866-416-6772 or complete a record suspension application online.