Obtaining Documents

You provide the answers in the admissibility check list by responding 'yes' or 'no'.  By working carefully through the questions, you will reach an 'end point' which will indicate the likelihood of you being admissible or criminally inadmissible to Canada. In some cases you may be required to provide fingerprint police clearance and court documents pertaining to your conviction(s) along with your application.

You are required by by section 16(1) of Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to answer all questions truthfully. It is an offence under the Act to misrepresent yourself and you may be barred from any application or entry to Canada for up to two years.

How to Obtain a Police Certificate

1. Do I need to provide a police certificate when applying for a Working Holiday Program work permit?

Yes. All applicants are now required to submit a current (ie. dated within the past six months from date of the WHP application) police certificate with their application for the WHP.

2. How do I obtain an Australian police clearance?

Applicants must provide a name check. Certificates can be obtained through the Australian Federal Police (recommended) or the local state police authority.

Applicants who do not reside in Australia must obtain this certificate through the Australian Federal Police.

State-issued certificates are acceptable where the certificate is based on a name search of the National Databases.

Please note that all applicants who resided or still reside in: Queensland, Victoria or Western Australia, must also submit a Traffic History printout, which may be obtained by contacting the local State Transport/Traffic branch.

3. How and where do I obtain one?

The following form is required: Australian Federal Police National Police Check (AFP NPC) Application Form.

Applicants may obtain the form for the Australian Federal Police check at:

Criminal Records – National Police Check
Australian Federal Police
Locked Bag 8550
Canberra City ACT 2601
Australia
Telephone from Australia: (02) 6202-3333
Telephone from elsewhere: +61 2 6202-3333
Website: www.afp.gov.au

IMPORTANT: When filling out the Australian Federal Police National Police Check (NPC) Application Form, enter Code Number 35 in section 1 (Purpose of NPC).

4. Where should the AFP send my police certificate?

The police certificate is to be sent to YOURSELF. You must then include the original police certificate when you submit your WHP signed application form, fee, photo, and photocopy of passport. If you submit a WHP application without a police certificate (and if you have lived in QLD, VIC, WA, include a traffic history printout as well) your application will be returned to yourself, unprocessed.

Please note that once the processing of your WHP application is completed, the police certificate will be retained by our office. It will not be returned to you.

Additional Documents Required for Specific Cases

For Drink Driving offences for every state and territory, with the exception of N.S.W. and A.C.T., you must also provide your original traffic history printout from the Transport Branch in that State.

For Theft (stealing, shoplifting) convictions/charges pending in any State or Territory of Australia/other country: you must provide documentary evidence of the amount of money involved in the offence.

For Possession of a prohibited substance (e.g. cannabis): you must provide documentary evidence of the amount in grams involved in the offence.