One of the key steps in obtaining a pardon is to get a copy of your fingerprints and to obtain an RCMP file. Since most employers are now running criminal background checks for employment purposes, there has been an increased demand in fingerprints and RCMP files.
Even if your criminal charges were withdrawn, dismissed, stayed or conditional or absolute discharged, your prints are still in the system and will show up in a criminal background check. You will need a Pardon if you have a criminal conviction and you will need a file destruction if your criminal charges were withdrawn, dismissed, stayed, or conditional or absolute discharged.
Below is a recent article from the RCMP website explaining the delays:
https://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=151&languageId=1&contentId=16878
Due to recent changes, designed to increase public safety, fingerprints may be a required step in the Criminal Record process, lengthening the process considerably.
A Vulnerable Sector Verification is a required part of a criminal record check where people will be working with vulnerable people, such as seniors, children, and the disabled. A Vulnerable Sector Verification is used to determine the possible existence of a criminal record and/or sexual offence conviction for which an individual has received a pardon.
Local Police agencies use the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system to perform name based queries of criminal record databases and flagged pardoned sex offender records. In the interest of public safety, the RCMP recently made enhancements to the CPIC system to ensure that an unreported name change would not allow a pardoned sexual offender to avoid being identified through a Vulnerable Sector Query. Flagged Pardoned sexual offender records are now searched using only the date of birth and gender of the applicant.
What Does this mean to you? A large percentage of people requesting criminal record checks, are being required to supply fingerprints for comparison as their date of birth matches someone with a sexual offence record. Fingerprints are sent to Ottawa for comparison and are the ONLY way the RCMP will confirm identity. Fingerprints are destroyed once used for comparison and are not kept for any type of database.
If you have any questions regarding this topic or about Pardons and US Entry Waivers email us at info@pardons.org or call 1-877-929-6011.
