For drivers and cross-border workers
Keep your Canadian routes with a record
For a driver, being refused at the border can cost a load, a lane or a job. Here’s how to deal with a record before it comes up at the booth.
Why records matter more when you cross for work
A Canadian border officer can refuse entry to anyone with a conviction that would be an offence in Canada. For a visitor, that ruins a trip. For a driver who crosses every week, every crossing is another chance to be stopped, and a refusal is recorded.
Impaired driving is the conviction we see come up most. Since December 18, 2018 it counts as serious criminality under Canadian immigration law (IRCC), so a single DUI can be enough.
The two fixes for working drivers
Temporary resident permit (TRP)
If your sentence ended less than five years ago, a TRP is usually the route. You need a real reason to enter, and regular work is one. It is issued for a set period, so drivers often renew it until they can apply for rehabilitation (IRCC on temporary resident permits).
Criminal rehabilitation
Five years after your sentence ends, including probation, you can apply once to be found rehabilitated. If approved, that conviction no longer makes you inadmissible, and you stop worrying about renewals (IRCC).
What helps a work application
- A letter from your employer or carrier describing your role, routes and how often you cross
- Court records showing every part of your sentence is complete
- An FBI Identity History Summary and state records
- Anything showing a stable life since the conviction: steady employment, licences kept in good standing, training
Trusted traveller cards are a separate question. Programs like FAST have their own background rules, and a record can affect them. Check with the program directly.
For carriers and dispatchers
If a driver tells you about a record, send them to the free check. It’s private and online, and it tells them which route applies. For a referral arrangement, talk to us.
Common questions
Can my carrier get me across with a letter?
No. A letter from your employer helps show why you need to enter Canada, which matters for a temporary resident permit, but it does not remove inadmissibility on its own.
I crossed fine last year. Why would I be stopped now?
Being let in once doesn’t mean you’re admissible. Records and officer decisions can change from one crossing to the next, and a refusal can come at any time.
Does a DUI from years ago still count?
It can. Impaired driving committed on or after December 18, 2018 is treated as serious criminality, which rules out deemed rehabilitation. Older offences are judged under the rules at the time. The free check helps sort out which applies.
Find out where you stand before your next load
The free Clearance Check is private and online. You get your likely route, your timeline and every cost itemized, with no phone call needed.