No matter how long you have lived in Canada, if you are convicted of a "serious" crime, you could lose your permanent resident status and be deported.
You will not have to leave Canada because of a conviction if you get a pardon for the crime. See Applying for a Pardon.
A crime is "serious" based on the maximum sentence that could be given or the sentence that is given.
A crime is serious if:
The maximum sentence you could get is 10 or more years in prison, even if you get a shorter sentence or no time at all in prison, or
The sentence that you do get is more than six months in prison.
And, the time you spend in prison before your trial might also count as part of your sentence. To find out more about this, get legal advice.
There are many crimes for which you can get 10 years or more in prison. Here are some examples:
Assaulting someone and causing bodily harm,
Making or using a false document,
Stealing a credit card or using a stolen credit card, or
Possessing a weapon for a reason that is dangerous to the public peace.
Your immigration status can also be affected if you are:
Convicted of a criminal offence outside Canada, or
Suspected of criminal activity in or outside Canada.
The law is complicated and it is important to get legal advice if one of these situations might apply to you.
If you are ordered deported, you will not be able to return to Canada for any reason unless:
You get authorization to return from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), which can be difficult to get, and
You pay $1,500 to cover the costs of your removal from Canada unless you paid for your own removal.