Immigration

Temporary Resident Permit (TRP)

A Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) allows a person who is inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) to enter or remain in Canada temporarily, if there are compelling reasons that justify the need and if those reasons outweigh the risk to Canadian society.

Inadmissibility can arise for various reasons, including: - **Criminal inadmissibility** — a foreign national with a criminal record outside Canada (including DUI convictions, which are equivalent to a serious criminal offence under Canadian law); - **Medical inadmissibility** — a foreign national whose medical condition is considered a danger to public health or safety, or who is expected to cause excessive demand on Canadian health or social services; - **Misrepresentation** — a previous finding of misrepresentation in an immigration application; - **Security** — a finding of inadmissibility on security grounds; - **Prior removal** — a person subject to a removal order.

A TRP is a discretionary remedy — it is not a right and not guaranteed. An IRCC officer weighs the compelling reasons for entry or stay against the degree of inadmissibility and the risk to Canada. The strength of the justification matters enormously: a TRP for a person with a single, decades-old DUI seeking to attend a family member's medical procedure is more likely to succeed than a TRP for a person with a recent, serious criminal record.

TRPs can be applied for at a port of entry (border crossing) or in advance from outside Canada through a Canadian visa application centre. In urgent cases, applying at the port of entry may be the only practical option, though it is riskier and provides less preparation time.

The government fee is $239.75, paid directly to IRCC.

TRPs applied for in advance through a visa application centre can take weeks to months, depending on the visa office's workload and the complexity of the inadmissibility. TRPs applied for at a port of entry are decided on the spot by a border services officer.
Federal — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) / Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at ports of entry

What Is Included

  • Assessment of the grounds of inadmissibility and TRP eligibility
  • Drafting of a detailed TRP application letter articulating the compelling reasons for entry
  • Preparation of all required IRCC forms
  • Evidence strategy and document compilation (criminal record documentation, medical clearance, purpose of visit, ties to home country)
  • Criminal record research and rehabilitation status assessment (if criminal inadmissibility)
  • Guidance on applying at a port of entry versus in advance through a visa office
  • Response to IRCC requests for additional information

What Is Not Included

  • Government fee: $239.75 (at cost, paid to IRCC)
  • Criminal rehabilitation application (separate pathway — quoted separately)
  • Deemed rehabilitation assessment and application (quoted separately)
  • Legal representation before the Immigration Division or Immigration Appeal Division (quoted separately)
  • Police certificate fees
  • Translation fees for documents not in English or French

Who This Service Is For

Foreign nationals with a criminal record (including DUI convictions) who need to enter Canada for a specific purpose
Foreign nationals with prior removal orders who need to re-enter Canada
Individuals who received a finding of misrepresentation and are within the five-year bar period
Individuals who are medically inadmissible and have a compelling reason to enter Canada
Anyone who has been refused entry to Canada and needs a formal legal mechanism to enter

Information Required from You

  • 1Full explanation of the reason for the inadmissibility (criminal record details, prior removal order, misrepresentation finding, etc.)
  • 2Passports and all travel documents
  • 3Police certificates from all countries of residence (for criminal inadmissibility)
  • 4Court records, sentencing information, and evidence of sentence completion (for criminal inadmissibility)
  • 5Documentation of the compelling reason for entry (invitation letter, medical records, conference registration, etc.)
  • 6Evidence of ties to the home country (employment, family, property) to support return after the TRP period
  • 7Any prior IRCC or CBSA correspondence relating to the inadmissibility

Common Add-Ons

TRP government fee$239.75 (at cost, paid to IRCC)
Criminal Rehabilitation application (permanent solution)Quoted separately

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Limitations

  • A TRP is a discretionary remedy. Approval is not guaranteed and depends on the officer's assessment of the balance between the compelling reason and the degree of inadmissibility.
  • A TRP is a temporary solution. It does not resolve the underlying inadmissibility. For criminal inadmissibility, a Criminal Rehabilitation application or a finding of deemed rehabilitation may provide a permanent solution. Those are quoted separately.
  • A DUI conviction — including an impaired driving offence under the Criminal Code of Canada or a foreign equivalent — is treated as serious criminality under Canadian immigration law and renders a person inadmissible. A TRP is the typical short-term remedy.
  • IRCC officers and CBSA border officers have broad discretion to refuse a TRP. Even a well-prepared application may be refused if the officer determines the inadmissibility outweighs the reason for entry.

Fixed fee

$3,000

Plus HST

Request This Service