Entry into Canada if you have a “Criminal” Record—Getting a Ministers Permit
Derek Hinton www.DOTJobHistory.com

“When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, ‘Well, what do you need?’"
Steven Wright

If you are working for a company, or planning to apply for a driving position with a company that goes into Canada, you must meet some important immigration requirements if you have a “criminal” record. And “criminal” has quotes around it because some convictions such as Driving While Intoxicated are considered “criminal.” 

Many of the larger carriers will have need for their drivers to occasionally go into Canada, so it is good for you to get permission (called a “Ministers Permit”) before you apply for a job if you have something on your record. For those of you registered with www.dotjobhistory.com, we strongly recommend you store your Ministers Permit with your other documents (DAC Report, Driving Record, PSP report, etc.) 

Persons who have been convicted of a criminal offence in any country may be inadmissible to Canada as a result of their criminal record. Even persons who do not require a Visa to enter Canada may still be refused permission to enter Canada if they are members of an inadmissible class.

INADMISSIBLE CLASSES:
Members of Inadmissible Classes include those who have been convicted of minor offenses (including shoplifting, theft, assault, dangerous driving, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of illegal substances, etc.), or of indictable criminal offenses (including assault with a deadly weapon, manslaughter, etc.). As well, those who have been convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) are considered members of an Inadmissible Class. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is regarded as an extremely serious offense in Canada. Those who have received traffic violations including parking/speeding tickets, etc.) and other minor violations (i.e. littering, etc.) most likely will not be prohibited from entering Canada. Similarly, those who have juvenile convictions (convictions for crimes committed while under age 18) most likely will not be prohibited from entering Canada unless they could have been tried as an adult for their offenses.

How does an Inadmissible person get into Canada?
Those who have been convicted of an offense outside Canada, and have had 5 years elapse since the termination of the custodial portion (if any) of the sentence imposed (not the sentence served), may apply for a Minister's APPROVAL OF REHABILITATION. The Minister's Approval will permanently remove the inadmissibility caused by conviction. Persons who committed criminal activity or were convicted of criminal offenses outside Canada can apply for approval of rehabilitation by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration if five years have passed since the end of the criminal activity or the completion of the sentence.

Persons who wish to enter Canada but are ineligible for approval of rehabilitation because not enough time has passed can complete the form and check "For Information Only". An immigration officer will decide if a Temporary Resident/ Minister's Permit for temporary admission is warranted. If less than 5 years have elapsed, or if persons are only seeking entry to Canada for a single or limited period, then they may apply for a TEMPORARY RESIDENT PERMIT.

Documentation that may be required is as follows:
• A statement from you indicating how often and for what purpose you are likely to visit Canada in the future;
• A copy of the Court Judgment including the verdict and sentence;
• A copy of the text of the law violated;
• Evidence of your rehabilitation. This may be in the form of 3 letters from parole boards, public officials, respected citizens, clergymen, etc. (Note* letters from friends or neighbors are NOT acceptable);
• Police certificates (FBI and state authority);
• A full written explanation in your own words concerning the circumstances of the conviction(s);
• 3 recent identical passport photographs;
• A copy of the probation or parole officer's report on your progress. If the terms of your probation restrict your travel, please provide evidence that the court consents to your visit(s) to Canada;
• A completed application (visitor Visa form);
• If you have been ordered deported from Canada, full details including the date and place at which the deportation was ordered. If possible, forward a copy of the deportation order with the completed application.

OBTAINING A POLICE CERTIFICATE:
• A Police Certificate, or certificate of "no criminal record" is necessary for every applicant age 18 and older who requires it.
• A Police Certificate is required from the state/ country where the applicant CURRENTLY lives, along with ALL other states/countries where the applicant has resided in for 6 months or more since age 18.
• The Police Certificate should be issued by a NATIONAL or FEDERAL police agency where possible.
• All Police Certificates must have been issued within the last SIX MONTHS.
• All Police Certificates MUST BE ORIGINALS. Photocopies will NOT be accepted.
• All Police Certificates MUST be accompanied by an ORIGINAL TRANSLATION prepared by an accredited translator if they are in a language other than English or French.

FROM THE FBI:
Applicants requiring Police Certificates who are currently present in the United States or who have stayed in the U.S. for six months or more MUST obtain police clearance from the FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI).

Trucker Buddy of the Month
June 2011
Mark Silva

Heidi Moore, sixth grade Learning Support Teacher at Ridley Middle School in Ridley Park, PA nominated her Trucker Buddy Mark Silva to be Trucker Buddy of the Month for June.

“This is the tenth year (2001 -2011) that Mr. Silva has been writing to my students. Over the years, Mark has gone above and beyond what I ever expected him to do. Mark sends the students postcards,
from all of the places that he travels. He mainly works in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon, and sends postcards to educate the students about the places that he has traveled through. Many of my students have never even visited the west coast! He also writes about his family, and the students understand how important his family is to him. He encourages the students to value their family, friends, teachers, etc., in almost every set of post cards that he sends,” says Ms. Moore.

Her students enjoy writing to him and telling him what is going on in their lives, as well. More importantly, by writing to him, this puts meaning behind their writing assignments, which can be a struggle
for many students. He sends the students gifts, such as, gift certificates, school supplies, decorations, snacks, magnets, pictures (family, home, animals), and shirts. Each year Walmart schedules a load for Mr. Silva, so he can make the long trip across the country for the past nine years, to come and meet the students and teachers involved in the program. The students are able to get their picture taken in the
truck, see how a professional driver lives and work, along with seeing a different stuffed animal mascot that he brings each time that he visits Ridley Middle School. The most important thing is they get to meet their Trucker Buddy in person. Each year Mr. Silva brings a family member with him, this year he
brought his father with him.

”When he arrived to visit the class in May we were excited to celebrate 10 years of writing back and forth especially since he brought his father with him on this trip. We look forward to seeing Mr. Silva at the end of each school year, and to hear about his trip across the country from California to Pennsylvania to meet his current pen pals”

Some students commented on Mark Silva:

“My favorite part of having a Trucker Buddy is having a friend.  I also like having a Trucker Buddy for a pen pal because I get to learn more about people in other parts of the United States” – Amber

TruckDriver.com
Carrier of the Month
Gordon Sevig Trucking Company
GSTC

For more than 25 years, Gordon Sevig Trucking Company (GSTC) has provided companies with efficient and reliable transportation and logistics services across the United States.

Headquartered in the heart of the Midwest, GSTC sets the standard for customer satisfaction in nationwide truckload transportation and 3PL logistics and storage. Their most frequent loads include food ingredients, retail and industrial products and personal care products. From small businesses to large corporations, GSTC does far more than provide outstanding service for their customers. They build long-term partnerships on integrity, trust, and proven results.

GSTC is proud of their national standards for transportation and logistics. But they are even prouder that their drivers and solutions go far beyond what’s simply required for safety, security, and efficiency.
Experience is a key characteristic of every team member at GSTC - every driver hired has verifiable over the road driving experience and a proven safety record.

As a family-owned company, their core business philosophy is “above and beyond”, “do what we say”. Their dedicated employees have results oriented work ethic – and at the foundation of every customer relationship is trust, honesty, and a commitment to excellence.

GSTC drivers receive late model tractors and trailers, competitive pay, excellent benefits, a variety of incentives and bonus structures, dedicated and experienced fleet managers, and a supportive team at home.

They only hire drivers who satisfy their criteria for joining the GSTC team. This includes a proven safety record, customer focus and a track record of commitment to driver excellence.

The results of the TruckDriver.com Sports Fan Survey  are in and it looks like the pigskinners win!

What is your favorite professional sport?

Baseball - 17%
Basketball - 9%
Football - 32%
Golf - 1%
Hockey - 12%
NASCAR - 17%
Other - 12%

In honor, and in memory of the events of September 11, 2001 we offer the TruckDriver.com Never Forget Survey.

Until next time, keep on truckin’ and please drive safely!

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