If you have ever been convicted of a crime, you will have a criminal record. With a criminal record, you are sure to run into roadblocks in your life and be prevented from doing somethings. Things such as crossing borders, finding a job or renting an apartment will all be more difficult if you have a criminal record.  

For those looking to leave their past mistakes behind them and move on with their lives, there is always the option to apply for a pardon. A pardon is when the government relieves you of guilt for a past conviction and eliminates it from your pubically visible criminal record, allowing you to move on with your life. 

However, not every offence is eligible for being granted a pardoned, including some sexual offence convictions. 

Ineligible Sexual Offence Pardons

As mentioned above, there are some sexual offence convictions that cannot be pardoned. 

If your sexual offence conviction involved a child you are not applicable for a pardon. This is known as a  ‘Schedule 1’ offence under the Criminal Records Act.

Also, if you have 4 or more indictable convictions, you are also unable to apply for a pardon. 

Eligible Sexual Offence Pardons

If the sexual offence you were convicted of under Canadian law or if you were convicted in another country and transferred to Canada, you are eligible to apply for a pardon. Of course, before applying you must complete all sentences associated with the charge before applying for a pardon. 

As with all other pardon applications, you must wait a certain amount of time, based on the severity of your conviction. For summary offences (less serious crimes), you must wait 5 years before applying and for indictable offences (move severe crimes), such as sexual offence convictions, you must wait 10 years before applying.

Stipulations of Sexual Offence Pardons

While most pardons are relatively the same, sexual offence pardons operate a little differently. Those with a sexual offence pardon will have their record hidden from view, but the Canadian Police Information Centre will have your record flagged. This means that if you have a sexual conviction pardon, you must show your record to potential employers if you want to work with children or vulnerable groups of people.

If you have a sexual offence charge that did not involve children and have completed your sentence over 10 years ago, you can apply for a pardon. The application process can be difficult to work through and will take some time, but at Pardons Canada we have helped many Canadian receive pardons and waivers. Get a pardon today and move on with your life! 

Contact Pardons and Waivers Canada today at 1-800-543-2137 to talk with one of our representatives about applying for a pardon or entry waivers.

The post Pardons in Canada – Sexual Offence Pardons appeared first on Federal Pardons and Waivers.