Citizenship Application Canada

Becoming a Canadian citizen is one of the most significant life moments. The freedom and opportunity that comes with having a Canadian passport is one of the reasons that so many people from around the world strive to find a place for themselves, and their families, in Canada. If you are a permanent resident dreaming of obtaining Canadian citizenship, this article is for you!

Benefits of being a Canadian citizen

There are a number of benefits of becoming a Canadian citizen over the status you have as a permanent resident: 

1. A Canadian passport allows you to travel without a visa to most countries in the world.
2. You can vote in Canadian elections, and even run for political office.
3. There is no residency requirement. Unlike permanent residents who must live in Canada for at least 2 years in every 5 year period of time, Canadian citizens do not need to keep track of their time spent in Canada.
4. Holding Canadian citizenship is a more secure than permanent resident status. As a permanent resident, you can be deported if you get into trouble with the law, but as a citizen you will simply serve whatever sentence is assigned, and then return to life in Canada. Although you are likely not planning to commit a criminal offense, be warned that some traffic accidents can result in criminal charges and then deportation – especially if you cause the accident and someone is seriously injured or killed.
5. Certain government and law enforcement jobs are awarded only to Canadian citizens.
   

Just to note as well, Canada permits dual citizenship. The Canadian government has no issue with you retaining the citizenship of another country or countries; however, you will want to check the regulations in the other country before you apply for Canadian citizenship so that you fully understand any implications of becoming a Canadian citizen. 

Eligibility Criteria for Canadian Citizenship

You can apply to become a Canadian Citizen if:

1. You are a Permanent Resident of Canada
2. You have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days within the last 5 years – so a total of 3 years in the 5 years immediately before the day you sign your citizenship application form. [The only exception to the physical presence requirements is for members of the Canadian armed forces].
3. Note: If you had temporary resident status (visitor, student or worker) in Canada, you can count half of your total days physically present in Canada as a temporary resident up to a maximum of 365 days towards your 1,095 days.
4. You've met your income tax obligations by filing a tax return for at least 3 of the last 5 years, unless you are a minor under age 18.
5. You've met the language requirements in one of Canada's official languages, unless you are under 18 or over 54 years of age - there are no language requirements for these groups. Everyone else, unless they completed their studies in English or French, must take a language test such as CELPIP, IELTS or the Test d'évaluation de français (TEF). You must achieve a CLB level 4 for listening and speaking only (not reading or writing) to apply for citizenship.
6. You have no criminal history, nor currently facing criminal charges, and have no immigration problems such as your PR status being under review.

Steps to become a Canadian citizen

If you meet all the criteria above, you are eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.  However, if you are in doubt about any of the factors, especially counting your days, it is wise to seek a professional opinion to make sure your application will be successful before investing the time and cost to apply. The government fees for a Canadian citizenship application are quite substantial (currently $630 CAD per adult).

Here is what will happen step-by-step if you want to apply for Canadian citizenship.

Step 1: Submit your application

• You can apply online or file a paper application.
• If the family members of a citizenship applicant all file together, you will be processed together and your ceremony will be held the same day.
• Ensure that you include all supporting documents and pay the citizenship fees.
• You must show you meet the residency test by providing a list of all the days you spent outside Canada in the past five years; the reasons for time spent outside Canada do not matter as only the days spent in Canada (physically present) will count. As above, you need at least 1,095 days and should be at least a few beyond that amount when you apply, in case there are any calculation errors.
• The processing time for Canadian Citizenship ranges from about 6 months to 24 months. The time it takes to process applications can depend on the accuracy of your forms and your evidence showing you clearly meet the eligibility requirements.

Step 2. Take the Citizenship Test

• After reviewing your documents, if you are found to be eligible for Canadian Citizenship, IRCC will invite you to take the Canadian Citizenship Test.
• During COVID, the Citizenship Testing process moved online.
• The test consists of 20 multiple choice questions. To acquire Canadian citizenship, you must have an adequate knowledge of Canadian history, geography, the legal system and government of Canada, as well as your rights and responsibilities as a Canadian citizen. There is a study guide you can access online in different formats – as a PDF, an audio file to download, or ask for a physical copy to be mailed to you. You will need to score at least 15/20 to pass the test.
• Although most applicants pass it on the first try, you have 2 attempts to pass the test. If you don’t pass the second attempt, a Citizenship official will contact you for an interview (in person or online) and have you answer questions verbally. The purpose of the Citizenship interview is to assess your knowledge, language skills and eligibility to become a citizen of Canada.
• Citizenship applicants under age 18 or over 54 do not need to take the citizenship test.

Step 3. Attend the Citizenship Ceremony

• Congratulations! Once you have passed the Citizenship test, you need only to wait for your invitation to take the Oath of Citizenship. The Canadian government will send you an invitation via email, usually a few months after your test. During your oath ceremony you will recite the Oath of Citizenship and sing the Canada’s national anthem. When you take the Oath, you promise that you will fulfill the responsibilities of a Canadian citizen.
• During COVID, Citizenship ceremonies were held in an online format. Some ceremonies are now held in person, but Canada Immigration is still conducting most ceremonies online. The online ceremony allows the government of Canada to finalize Citizenship applications more quickly and this is likely going to remain the most common type of ceremony.
• Your Canadian citizenship certificate is given to you at the end of your in-person ceremony. If you attend a virtual citizenship ceremony, the certificate will be mailed to you about 4 weeks after the ceremony. Those who applied online can choose to get an e-Certificate instead of a paper one – this is the new format for citizenship certificates.

Canadian passports 

Once you are granted citizenship, you are eligible for a Canadian passport immediately. However, you will need your citizenship certificate as proof of Canadian citizenship to apply. You will receive the certificate at the in-person ceremony if you attended one. For most people, the certificate will take a few weeks to arrive in the mail after your virtual citizenship ceremony. If you requested a digital certificate, it is typically available for download two to three days after your online ceremony.

Are you ready to become a Canadian citizen? If you are not sure whether you are eligible, please contact our office to book a consultation to discuss your situation. We would be happy to walk you through the steps involved in a Canadian citizenship application and answer your questions, or we can complete the application process for you. At The Way Immigration , the top immigration consultants in Calgary, we have helped thousands of immigrants with their Canadian citizenship process. It would be our great pleasure to help you on this exciting journey!