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Benefits of a Record Suspension for Truck Drivers
Benefits of a Record Suspension for Truck Drivers
– Information for Truck Drivers and Transport Companies –
Why should a Truck Driver Get a Record Suspension?
Are you a truck driver with a criminal record in Canada? If yes, a Record Suspension should be at the top of your to-do list. Failure to get the right job or best pay can significantly impact the rest of their life. The benefits of having a Record Suspension are obvious. But, I believe many truck drivers fail to appreciate just how important the benefits are.
What is a Record Suspension?
A Record Suspension seals your criminal record and is proof that your record should no longer reflect upon your character. The Record Suspension was formerly called a Canadian Pardon. The name changed on March 14, 2012 due to the passing of the Crime Bill C-10. This Bill resulted in legislative changes to the Criminal Records Act which governs the granting of pardons and record suspensions.
Top 4 Benefits of a Record Suspension for Truck Drivers
If you have a criminal record and it becomes sealed with a Record Suspension or Pardon, truck drivers normally enjoy the following benefits:
More Job Opportunities
- If an employer has the opportunity to chose between hiring two qualified truck drivers, you are less likely to get the job if your criminal record has not yet been sealed.
- Once sealed, a criminal record search will reveal “no record”.
- Would it be nice to be able to apply for jobs and not always have to disclose a criminal record that has been pardoned or suspended?
- Individuals with barriers to employment take longer to find new jobs.
Greater Pay
- Individuals with barriers to employment often find that employers who are willing to hire them often pay less.
Ability to apply for Nexus
- If you travel to the United States frequently, having a Record Suspension may be necessary in order for you to qualify for a Nexus Card.
- A Nexus Card allows you to avoid long line ups at ports of entry.
Less Scrutiny by U.S. Border Guards
- Though a Criminal Record Suspension is not recognized by U.S. authorities, having your record sealed may result in fewer questions at ports of entry as the fact that you have or had a criminal record will come up less because it is often not as easily and instantly accessible by US authorities.
- If applying for a Waiver, the RCMP often processes requests for pardoned records faster than when not pardoned.
Summary: You have more job opportunities, you get hired faster, employers won’t use this barrier to pay you less, and a criminal record search will reveal “no record” meaning it is likely you won’t even have to discuss a criminal record once it has been sealed. A Record Suspension may also qualify you to apply for Nexus. Save time and earn more money! If you are paid by the km you don’t get paid to sit at a border. Seal your record with a Record Suspension, then apply for a Nexus Card and fast track your way into the United States.You should apply for a Record Suspension at least 6 months before you are eligible.
Record Suspensions Not Recognized by the U.S. Government
If you have a criminal record, you might also need a U.S. Waiver for legal entry to the United States even if it has been pardoned or suspended. Further, if you have a criminal record that makes you inadmissible to the United States, you may not qualify for a Nexus Card unless, in addition to a Canadian Pardon or Record Suspension, you also have a U.S. Waiver of Inadmissibility. Having both a Pardon (or Suspension) and Waiver does not guarantee you can get a Nexus Card, but the chances are significantly better.
Please check out the following links:
- Does my criminal record make me inadmissible?
- Some Pardon & Waiver companies tell me to deny the fact with US Border Guards that I ever had a criminal record once it has been sealed. Why is this the wrong thing to do?
Of course, check out our tab on U.S. Waiver of Inadmissibility and you will find a range of topics concerning travel waivers, including cost, procedures, time lines, eligibility periods and more. Your income potential is far greater than any cost associated with sealing your record or applying for Waivers.
What to Do When you Have a Criminal Record
To summarize, if you are a truck driver you should complete the following:
- Apply for a Record Suspension at least 6 months before you are eligible; and
- If you wish to go to the United States, apply for a U.S. I-192 Waiver of Inadmissibility if you are inadmissible; and
- Apply for your Nexus Card if you wish to travel to the United States frequently and avoid long lineups at the border.
For more information on Record Suspensions, U.S I-192 Waiver of Inadmissibility or Nexus Card, please Contact Us.
