Record Suspension Services in Edmonton

There’s a lot going on in the province’s capital; Edmonton is the seat of education, business, and industry for Alberta, so there’s plenty of opportunity in this northern city for people that are looking. However, opportunities can be harder to come by for people with criminal convictions that will show up in background checks. That’s where a record suspension can make a huge difference.

How Does A Record Suspension Work?

Anyone that is arrested, charged, and then convicted of a crime in Canadian courts will, in addition to any fines or jail sentences served, have that criminal conviction appear on their permanent record. This record is stored in the Canadian Police Information Centre database (CPIC).

Any Canadian has the legal right to conduct a general background check on another Canadian, provided they are willing to pay the fee to have the process carried out.

This means that when they run this check, any criminal convictions present will appear in their query, and once they have that information, it can have a severe impact on many different aspects of your life. A record suspension, however, purges this information from routine background checks, preventing you from suffering any number of setbacks.

Employment Obstacles

Different jobs have hiring requirements, and not every position is dependent only on the qualifications of the applicant. Careers dealing with people in vulnerable sectors, such as the elderly, or children, have legal requirements stating that employees must not have certain types of criminal records, so those jobs are automatically off the table for some applicants.

In other instances, the presence of a criminal record can affect an employer’s decision-making process. While an employer can hire an applicant that has a criminal record for theft, for example, if a job involves the handling of cash, there’s no law saying that employer can’t hire a similarly qualified applicant with no criminal record for theft, thus ensuring more peace of mind.

Avoid Discrimination, Job Loss, and US Entry Refusal… Let us get you a Clean Record.

Travel Complications

If you travel to the United States on a regular basis, whether that is for business or pleasure reasons, a criminal record can permanently bar you entry to the country. The Customs & Border Patrol, better known as the CBP, can conduct a background check on any incoming Canadian if they feel it is warranted.

If a criminal record is present and falls into the CBP category of “moral turpitude” which includes crimes such as theft, drug use, trafficking, assault, or many others, the CBP can turn you away at the airport or border. Once denied entry to the US due to a criminal record, you will require a US Entry Waiver or I-194 for the rest of your life.

Personal Limitations

A criminal record can also affect your personal, and even family life. For those that are renting a home or apartment, landlords can legally conduct background checks. They also have the power to refuse renting rights to criminal record holders should they decide to rent.

For people that are thinking about adoption in the future, the presence of convictions can present a huge roadblock. It shouldn’t be too surprising that when offering a child a new home, strict efforts are taken to ensure a suitable family environment, and background checks are part of that process as well.

We Make A Difference

If you live in Edmonton, Alberta or any other city across Canada, and you have a criminal record, and you don’t want it to impact your life anymore, we can help. Contact us and give us the details of your case. Together, we can help you to apply for a record suspension the right way, and ensure that the application will be succesfully completed.