Police Clearance Certificates are typically obtainable from law enforcement agencies or relevant government offices. In certain exceptional cases, Canadian Immigration Visa Offices may waive the requirement to submit these certificates.

Generally, all applicants, along with any family members aged 18 or older, must acquire a police certificate. These must be obtained from every country or territory where the individual has resided for six consecutive months or longer since turning 18.

For the country of current residence, the police certificate must be issued within six months prior to the application. For other countries where the individual has lived for six months or more, the certificate should be issued after their last period of residence there.

If the certificate is not in English or French, it must be accompanied by an original translation completed by a certified translator.

Additionally, all Canada immigration applicants are subject to a background clearance process to identify individuals involved in espionage, subversion, or terrorism. This step is crucial for maintaining the safety and order of Canadian society. Security screening decisions are based on comprehensive information from various sources, carefully assessed to determine if an applicant poses a risk to Canada’s internal security. If there are any security concerns, an interview will be arranged to address these issues with the applicant. Those deemed a threat will be barred from entering Canada.

It’s important to differentiate between the Police Clearance Certificate, which applicants must obtain, and the background clearance, which involves a more passive process for the applicant.