Canadian law does not allow persons with certain criminal offenses to enter the country. Per the visa and immigration information, “those who have been convicted of DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED (DWI) are considered members of an Inadmissible Class” and are therefore denied entry to Canada. However, a person may apply for a Temporary Resident Permit.
One can apply for a Temporary Resident Permit if the following conditions are met:
- Less than five years have elapsed from the time of conviction
- DUI must be the only item on record
- Must be a misdemeanor conviction
- No jail time served
The Canadian visa and immigration documents advise that Temporary Resident Permits are “only issued in exceptional circumstances.”
Change to Inadmissibility
The law changed in March of 2012. Namely, there is now a onetime fee waiver for the application for Temporary Residency. According to the Canadian Consulate in Minneapolis, the Canadian legislation is still considering changing the inadmissibility requirement to make it more relaxed with regard to DUI convictions. However, there has not been a change in the law at this time.