Being granted Citizenship is the ultimate goal of many immigrants that come to Canada. Canadian citizenship comes with many benefits. On becoming a citizen, people get the right to participate in politics by having the right to vote. Canadian passport is very powerful as it gives access to many countries across the world without a visa and opens up doors for many Government jobs in Canada. Canadian law also permits dual citizenship, that allows a person to keep the original citizenship with thier home country, while also becoming a citizen of Canada.

If you have been a permanent resident of Canada and are now looking to apply for your Canadian citizenship, we can help you with the assessment of your eligibility, compiling your documents and filing your application as a sole applicant or for the entire family.

Rights and Responsibilities of a Citizen

On being granted Canadian citizenship, you will be entitled to the same rights and responsibilities of a natural Canadian citizen.

Eligibility for Citizenship

To become a Canadian citizen, you must

• Be a permanent resident
• Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years (1095 days)
• Have filed your taxes if you need to
• Pass a test on your rights, responsibilities, and knowledge of Canada
• Prove your language skills in English or French

Citizenship Requirements

1. Permanent Resident Status

To become a Canadian citizen, you must have:

• A Permanent Resident status in Canada.
• Not have any unfulfilled requirements associated with your PR status.
• At the time you apply, your PR status must not be in question for any fraud, or any other immigration related unfulfilled condition.

2. Time Lived in Canada

Regardless of your age, you must have been physically present in Canada for no less than 1095 days during the 5 years period immediately preceding the date of signing your citizenship application. You may be able to use some of your time spent in Canada as a temporary resident or a protected person with each day spent physically under such status, within the last 5 years counting as half a day, maximum to 365 days.

3. Income Tax Filing

Filing for Canadian citizenship requirements also include meeting your personal income tax filing obligations. You may need to file taxes in Canada for at least 3 years during the last 5 years right before the date you apply.

4. Language Skills

English and French are the two official languages in Canada. If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you must show that you can speak and listen at a specific level in one of these languages. To become a citizen, you need to meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher. This means you can:

• Take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics
• Understand simple instructions, questions, and directions
• Use basic grammar, including simple structures and tenses
• Show you know enough common words and phrases to answer questions and express yourself

5. Pass a Citizenship Test

If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you’ll need to take a test of the knowledge requirement.

You’ll need to answer questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s:

• History
• Geography
• Economy
• Government
• Laws
• Symbols

The Test is:

• In English or French
• 30 minutes long
• 20 questions (pass mark: 15 correct answers)
• multiple-choice and true or false questions
• Based on the official citizenship study guide: Discover Canada
• Usually written, but may be oral

Looking to apply for citizenship, reach out to us for help.