Citizenship

Citizenship through Naturalization

In addition to acquiring status in Canada through birth or from parents, a permanent resident may apply to become a Canadian citizen through the process of naturalization. All the following criteria must be met to be eligible for citizenship.

Be a Permanent Resident: Regardless of age, applicants must be a permanent resident of Canada. Applicants who are subject to any of the following are not eligible to apply:

• An investigation into immigration fraud or misrepresentation;
• A removal order;
• Unfulfilled conditions related to this status (eg: medical screening).

A valid permanent residency card is not required to apply for citizenship.

Live in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the past 5 years: Applicants are required to live in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) in the past 5 years before getting a status in Canada. The three-year calculation begins after the applicant becomes a permanent resident. Some time before may count in some circumstances. The general residency rules can be summarized as follows:

• The five-year period calculated begins immediately before the date your application was submitted.
• Each day spent in Canada as a permanent resident counts as one day.
• Each day spent in Canada as an authorized temporary resident, or a protected Canadian citizen counts as half a day (for a maximum of 365 days).
• Time spent outside of Canada as a crown servant can be counted towards the residence requirement.

It is recommended to exceed the minimum requirement as a precautionary measure.

File Income Taxes for the Past 3 Years: Applicant must have filed their income taxes for the past three years before filling out Canadian citizenship applications.

Demonstrate Proficiency in either English or French: Applicants between the ages of 18 to 54 on the day of submitting the application need to demonstrate adequate knowledge of one of Canada’s two official languages. This means that language test show the applicant can hold a basic conversation in English or French, use basic grammar, and express himself/herself. Language proficiency must meet level 4 of the following tests:

• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) for English, or
• Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) for French.

Pass the Citizenship Test: A citizenship test must be completed by applicants aged between 18 and 54 on the day of their application. The test contains questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens and Canada’s history, geography, economy, laws and symbols.

Take the Oath of Citizenship: Before becoming a citizen, applicants over the age of 14 must take an oath of citizenship.