Pop singer may not be allowed to enter Canada. Spears could be criminally inadmissible, following her arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) in California on March 4, 2026.
Anyone with a DUI—excepting Canadian citizens—could be denied entry to Canada, even if the incident took place decades ago, even if they were never charged or convicted, and even if the DUI was a misdemeanor in the jurisdiction in which it was committed.
That’s because foreign nationals are not allowed into Canada if their history involves “criminality” or “serious criminality” as defined by Canadian immigration legislation, and Canadian officials judge the seriousness of the crime(s) based on the equivalent offence(s) in Canadian criminal law at the time each offence was committed.
A single DUI committed prior to December 18, 2018 would be considered “criminality;” if committed on or after December 18, 2018, it would count as “serious criminality.”
Foreign nationals with records, including those with DUIs, may have several options for overcoming criminal inadmissibility if they wish to enter Canada, including
- Applying for a temporary resident permit (TRP);
- Seeking entry as deemed rehabilitated; or
- Applying for criminal rehabilitation.
The individual’s situation will dictate which option(s) are available and which may be the most appealing to pursue.
In all cases, the first step will be to determine whether the individual’s record counts as criminality or as serious criminality, by comparing each offence to the equivalent criminal offence(s) under Canadian legislation at the time each offence was committed, and cross-referencing the equivalent Canadian offence(s) with the appropriate sections of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Cases of criminality
In cases of criminality, foreign nationals may seek entry to Canada as deemed rehabilitated, if they meet the necessary requirements.
To be considered deemed rehabilitated, a minimum amount of time must have passed: at least 10 years since the commission of the offence, or, for those who have been convicted, at least five years or 10 years since the completion of their sentence(s), depending on the seriousness of the offence(s), in addition to meeting other requirements.