If you are applying for a job in Canada, your job application will most likely require you to disclose if you are bondable or not. Your answer could very well determine if you secure the job or not. 

Below we’ll cover all there is to know about being bondable from the meaning to the requirements and becoming bondable and more!

Are You Bondable: What does it mean?

In employment terms, a bond can be treated as insurance that protects employers from loss resulting from employees’ dishonest or fraudulent actions. As a result, being bondable therefore means your employer can be able to get insurance covering any losses that may occur because of your actions as an employee. 

The ability to be bondable or not is therefore a critical consideration for employers as it determines if they can protect themselves or not, should there be any loss resulting from an employee’s actions at work/during work.

Are You Bondable and Job Applications:

It’s worth noting that the requirement to be bondable isn’t in all job application forms in Canada. You are likely to face an application that requires you to say if you are bondable or not if you are seeking:

  • A job in a vulnerable sector: Such as a job as a teacher, daycare worker, nurse, taxi driver, coach, etc.
  • A job that involves handling sensitive client information: Such as a job as a banker.
  • Some service jobs: Especially those that involve constant one-on-one interactions with clients. 

Why Should I Care About Being Bondable?

As mentioned, you can fail to get a job because you are not bondable. Being bondable is an indication that your future employer won’t face financial risk or incur financial losses in case of eventualities i.e., losses resulting directly from your actions.

Being bondable also suggests you are of a good character and exhibit other positive traits like good financial management (considering one of the requirements of being bondable is being financially stable).

Requirements For Being Bondable

Bondable employees must meet several requirements, the most notable being:

  1. Have a clean criminal record: You shouldn’t have a criminal history (have been involved in criminal/illegal activities in the past). If you have a past, the records should be sealed (pardoned) or erased (expunged) before your criminal record is considered clean and you are eligible for being bondable.
  2. Be financially stable: As mentioned above, you must be financially stable to be bondable. This requirement is critical for certain jobs i.e., those requiring you to handle money/cash, as your employer can easily get an insurance company covering against losses if you have a clean record. Common signs of financial instability include a poor tax history, payment delinquencies, and poor credit history (revealed during credit checks).
  3. Good character: Your character may also be considered. You are more likely to be bondable if your character displays that you are a reliable, honest, and trustworthy person.

Becoming Bondable: How To Become Bondable if You Have a Criminal Record

Assuming you are not bondable, and you need to apply for jobs with the above requirements, what should you do? Well, you need to become bondable. Considering most people aren’t bondable because of a criminal past, here’s what you need to do:

a. Apply for a Pardon (Record Suspension)

A pardon seals a person’s criminal conviction records ensuring they don’t appear on criminal checks and police background checks. Canadians with criminal records can qualify for a pardon (or record suspension) if they have:

  • Completed their sentence
  • Paid all fines linked to the conviction
  • Refrained from re-offending over a specified period (usually 3 years since the offence)

To get a pardon, you must submit your complete application to the PBC (Parole Board of Canada). However, submitting an application isn’t a simple process. You aren’t guaranteed you will get pardoned and become bondable simply by applying. 

You need to follow and complete every 1 of 10+ legal steps of the application process perfectly and within the set timelines. 

It’s advisable to use proven Canadian Pardon Application services that ensure your application is handled by true pardon application experts who have been behind over 575,000 successful pardon applications since 1970.

b. Apply for Expungement (Record Destruction)

If you have a criminal record because you were charged for a crime, but weren’t convicted, you should apply for a record destruction or expungement. The same applies to individuals who have already been charged and have been pardoned. 

A Canadian record destruction or expungement record gets rid of photographs, fingerprints, court records, and police records linked to your arrest. These records are removed from the CPIC database (Canadian Police database).

Record destruction processes are also complex, if not more complex than pardons. You need administrative and legal experts to handle a record destruction process properly. We suggest you consider hiring Canadian Record Destruction experts to have your criminal record expunged so that you can become bondable and seek your next job without worry.

Can You Lose Bondability in Canada?

Assuming you get a clean criminal record and become bondable because experts like Canadian Pardon Application Services have assisted you secure a pardon or expungement, can you lose bondability?

Yes! If you are bondable and then engage in criminal activity, poor tax practices, or mismanage your credit, you can stop being bondable. If that happens, you can regain bondability status by seeking expert help.

Getting Bondable with Canadian Pardon Application Services

Your past i.e. a criminal record, shouldn’t derail your job search or career options. You can seek a pardon or expungement to clean your record, become bondable, and secure your dream job. 

While it’s possible to secure a pardon or expungement as an individual/on your own, the sensitive nature of the process is best left to experts like Canadian Pardon Application Services. Why?

  •  Decades of experience and 575,000+ successful applications.
  • 1.2 million + pardon and other inquiries
  • FREE consultation – 30-minute phone consultation – call 1-888-853-8189 for all inquiries (from requirements to type of bond in question).
  • Dedicated pardon and expungement experts (including a team of legal and administrative professionals) who are focused on the successful completion of application processes
  • Close working relationship with PBC, RCMP, police detachments, and other critical organisations.