By Andrew Maclachlan
Trucking and transport is a huge industry in Canada, bringing in billions of dollars in revenue each year. Canada’s resources, such as timber and oil are extremely valuable, making the transportation of these resources particularly profitable. Other goods common in transport trucks include: produce, electronics, sporting goods, house wares, appliances, and a whole host of other helpful goods. A career in the transport industry can prove to be quite lucrative. But with a criminal record this career can be cut short even before it begins.
Truck turnarounds at the border have become more common recently as a result of a new Northern Border Strategy announced this summer by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which aligns processes at each of the 120 border crossings. This new strategy is causing problems and turnarounds for truck drivers with past criminal records who want to cross the border into the US.
According to their website “the RCMP shares criminal records information with foreign authorities who may register this information in their databank.” This means that if you have ever been charged with a criminal offence it is possible that you could be subsequently denied entry into the United States and permanently flagged to prevent you from entering in the future. When your career relies on attempting to transport goods across the border, this is obviously a serious issue.
An incident such as this could negatively affect transport companies’ business relations, as well as a trucking employee’s odds of obtaining another contract with their employer. If you have been denied at the border a U.S. Entry Waiver will be needed for the remainder of the time you wish to travel to the U.S.
Pardon Services Canada is able to help you in the matter, processing your Pardon if you have a criminal record, or processing your U.S. Entry Waiver if you have already been refused passage across the border. This service could help you and your career so that you may cross the border unrestricted. Being able to travel to the U.S. adds value to you as an employee, generates revenue for the trucking company, and can increase the likelihood of a successful career in the transportation trucking industry.
Additionally, once a Record Suspension or a US Entry Waiver is granted, a truck driver can apply for a Free And Secure Trade (FAST) pass. The FAST pass allows Canadian truck drivers with a clean record to be recognized as low-risk travelers and reduce border delays.