Dumb question but my wife is worried about it. Can you enter Canada with alcohol related offenses in your (very distant) past? I've been before but this is a work related trip for my wife's company and she doesn't want me getting denied entry lol.

When you say "alcohol related offenses", do you mean DUI? If so and it was less than 10 years, there is a very high chance you get denied. If it was > 10 years, there is still a coin flip chance you get denied.

MIPs and a PI in my college years.

Been traveling for work to Toronto a few times a year for the past 15 years and mainly know those guys don't play. Doesn't happen every time, but I pretty consistently get the 3rd degree why I'm visiting because they're worried I might take their jerbs. Never got rejected, but I quickly became savvy on what to say and what not to say.

I can't say I have direct personal experience from a conviction history perspective, but from what I understand, one offense along the lines of a PI would be very unlikely to be an issue. But multiples could pose a problem. If you want there to be 0 chance you get stopped, I would say it's probably not 0

Not sure if it's worth it to you, but there are services that can check/consult

Might be worth looking into. I went to BC with no issues back in 2008 when those offenses were a lot more recent. Did they recently get more strict or something?

I do think they changed some offenses that would sunset after 10 years to never sunsetting (like DUIs) since then, but that's what they would consider a dangerous offense. My money is that you would still be fine. I just know some of these guys have seemed to have a bigger bug up their ass than others and people do occasionally get rejected for small fry stuff. Which is why I'm cautious to say "100% no problem"

No worries

They typically ask specifically about alcohol if you're driving across the border. I have an alcohol-related offense in my history and I've never been asked at YYZ.

I'm pretty sure I have more alcohol related charges than most, but they are 20 plus years ago. I went to Montreal last year and never thought about and no one asked that I remember. I had a PI and 3 MiPs that i paid the tickets on, but probably got deferred adjudication. I was accused of DUI twice but never convicted.

You can do a criminal history on yourself in the TXDPS website for a few bucks, mine comes back blank.

I don't know how Canada would be able to tell anything unless the TXDPS had it in their system

I had an MIP in college and have gone up to Alberta multiple times and never been asked anything near related to that.

I don't think they reference or have any kind of special access into state/local criminal records as a matter of course for routine border crossings. As long as you have a valid passport and aren't on some kind of terror watch list you should be fine. Might be a different situation if you were applying for citizenship or something.

I'll echo what others have said about their sensitivity to coming across to "work." My company has an office near Toronto and I went up there a few weeks ago for some coordination meetings. The kiosk at border control doesn't have many options to select for visit purpose, and "work" was really the only one that truthfully matched my reason. I got pulled aside for 20 questions about why I didn't have a Canadian work permit, was I going to be directing any teams up there, etc. The guy let me pass once it became clear that I was basically there to sit in a few days worth of seminars and listen to Q&A sessions.

I just want to share that I specifically call out DUI/DWI, and felonies when people try to book Canada with me. MANY travel agents have clients who get denied boarding in Seattle due to some of these offenses. It won't even work if you don't get off the ship in Canada. It is specifically called out in my terms and conditions.

The general rule I have heard is 10 years. But the website is confusing and you are supposed to fill out a certain form showing you are "rehabilitated". I have clients going in 2 months that have a DUI that is over 25 years old. While I don't think (hope) she will have issues, I still provided her with all info.

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1409?language=en_US

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html

Now, not sure about MIP's/PI's. Most things I have heard are DUI/DWI.

Prior drug offenses are a general no-go when seeking to travel to Canada. Drinking violations shouldn't move the needle.

Drinking and driving are the ones they ding you on.

They don't want you going there and getting behind the wheel.

I had a colleague with a DWI who was precluded from traveling to Canada for work engagements.

Screw Canada! I have travelled there at least 25 times in my life and have loved every trip.

Last year I flew into Calgary for our annual waterfowl hunting trip. We are checking our guns through secondary like normal, but it was taking forever.

I get called out by some border guard and he asks me, "What happened in 1993?".

I was thinking, I have no idea...then in dawned on me...I got arrested for assault in Burleson County.

All charges got dropped and I never even went to court over it.

Border guard tells me, "Sorry you are denied entry..." Mind you I have been going to Canada annually for at least 20 years. Some years twice.

They took my passport and my shotgun, made me pay for a hotel room at the airport and they deported me on the first plane out of Calgary the next morning.

Not only did it mess up my hunt with my Dad and brother, but I was at their mercy. 30 years ago...no conviction.

I was able to contact my lawyer from back then (He is still in practice in a limited way). He was totally amazed.

I got the arrest expuncted and I have photos of paperwork from the court on my phone now, but I don't know if I am going to risk another rodeo with those liberal US hating assclowns.

Damn. Stories like this are exactly why I was saying it was not 100% above. They can be pretty ridiculous *****s depending on the agent and the day. If there is any smudge in one's background or if they don't like the reason you gave them for visiting, entry is never a certainty.

I got held up in Winnipeg a long time ago because I forgot my customer's contract so I tried to flub it by saying I was there for vacation (it was -30 outside). The Mounties didn't buy it and held me for about an hour before I gave them a broad presentation on who I was going to see. If I wasn't going to see their city officials, they probably would have detained me. They were pissed as hell that I tried to F with them.

When I went back to Canada the next year, it showed up on my record and they held me and my gf for a while before letting us go. They searched our rental in and out for what I don't know. I don't have a record of any kind after 21 (that I know of lol).

Meetings and/or training. And if training, smoother if you are receiving it vs providing it. And "meetings" can go by smoother if it's "internal meetings". Mainly stay away from "work" or "for work"