Whenever possible, any applicant for immigration to Canada over the age of 18 years must provide proof of no criminal record in any country in which he/she has resided within the previous 10 years (sometimes longer). In most cases, applicants have little difficulty obtaining such "police certificates" from most countries. This is generally done through a law enforcement office of such a country, and sometimes through other government departments. In cases of extenuating
circumstances, however, it may be possible for a Visa Office to waive this requirement. Police clearance documents (certificates of no criminal record) are typically considered valid for six months, although this can be subject to the policies of different posts, and discretion in cases of extenuating circumstance.
In all cases of immigration, a background clearance is conducted to ensure that applicants who "are, or have been, involved in espionage, subversion, or terrorism" are detected. The following is an excerpt of the Canadian Immigration Selection and Control Manual, which discusses this often misunderstood aspect of the immigration process.
1.14 SECURITY SCREENING OF IMMIGRANTS
NOTE: Elements of the security careening process have been exempted from public access in accordance with the terms of sections 15 and 16 of the Access to Information Act. Visa officers abroad and Immigration officers h Canada should read these guidelines in conjunction with tine restricted chapter IC 1.
1) Purpose
To maintain and protect the safety and good order of Canadian society by preventing the admission of persons who threaten the internal security of Canada or endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada; to promote international order and justice by denying the use of Canadian territory to persons who are likely to engage in subversive or criminal activity.
2) Applicability of the Act
a) A19 applies to persons who are seeking to come into Canada end who are inadmissible by virtue of membership in one or more of the classes of persons described in that section. A 27 relates to persons who have been admitted to Canada and who are reportable for having contravened the Act in a manner which calls for their removal. For the purposes of this chapter, the most relevant paragraphs are:
1.A19(1)(e): This covers all subversion, past, present and future, in or outside Canada against democratic institutions or processes as they are understood in Canada. this subsection does not apply to persons who may attempt to subvert non-democratic regimes. Mere membership in, or association wan, an organization which promotes subversion is not grounds for inclusion in the category, although such membership or association may constitute evidence that a person comes within this inadmissible class. (Persons who have been involved in subversion or espionage may be amended, provided they can satisfy the Minister that they are not a threat to Canada).
2.A19(1)(f): This refers to persons who are likely to engage in or instigate subversion by force of any government, while in Canada. Such activities, H conducted in Canada, could endanger the Canadian public and our relations with other countries. Activities aimed at the arousal or organization of public sentiment to pressure undemocratic governments to change their policies would not place an individual in this inadmissible class.
