June 25, 2018 – Candidates for Canadian citizenship must meet the following requirements:
- Have unconditional Canadian permanent residence status.
- Be physically present for three years out of the preceding five (1,095 days out of 1,825).
- Meet income tax filing obligations for three years out of the last five.
- Prove adequate knowledge of one of Canada’s official languages (English or French) if aged 18 to 54.
- Pass a Canadian knowledge test (if aged 18 to 54).
- Not be prohibited due to committing a criminal offence
Each requirement is explained further below.
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- What Are the Permanent Residence Status Requirements for Canadian Citizenship?
Application of all ages must have Canadian permanent residence status, with no unfulfilled conditions.
Applicants must not:
- Be under review for reasons related to immigration status or fraud.
- Have unfulfilled PR conditions.
- Be subject to a removal order.
- What Are the Canadian Citizenship Physical Presence Requirements?
Applicants of all ages must have been physically present for three years out of the preceding five from the date an application is signed. This is 1,095 days out of the previous 1,825.
Each day spent as a temporary resident of Canada or protected person counts as half a day towards your physical presence total. This time can count up to a maximum of 365 days of physical presence.
Temporary residence means time spent in Canada as a:
- Visitor
- Student
- Worker
- Temporary resident permit holder
Protected person means someone who:
- Is deemed in need of protection or refugee status by the Immigration and Refugee Board, or
- Passed a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Note: Certain public officials and their family members may be eligible to apply without meeting minimum physical presence requirements.
- What Are the Income Tax Filing Requirements for Canadian Citizenship?
If required under the Income Tax Act, applicants of all ages must meet personal income tax filing obligations for three years out of the last five. This includes years partially included in the last five.
- What Are the Language Requirements for Canadian Citizenship?
Applicants aged 18 to 54 must prove adequate knowledge of one of Canada’s official languages (English or French).
This means you must be able to speak and listen in English or French to level 4 in either:
- Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or
- Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien(NCLC)
You must be able to:
- Hold basic, everyday conversations.
- Follow simple instructions, answer simple questions.
- Use basic grammar.
- Know common words and phrases.
- What Is the Knowledge Test for Canadian Citizenship?
Applicants aged 18 to 54 are required to pass a knowledge test to become a Canadian citizen.
Questions are on the following topics relating to Canada:
- Values
- History
- Symbols
- Institutions
- Rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship
The tests are:
- Conducted in English or French.
- Made up of questions from the ‘Discover Canada’study guide
- Usually written but can be taken orally if required.
Read More: Private Sector Bidding to Overhaul Canadian Citizenship Test
Who Is Prohibited from Applying for Canadian Citizenship?
Applicants who have committed a crime inside or outside Canada may not be eligible for citizenship for a certain time period.
This includes if you:
- Are serving a sentence outside Canada.
- Are in prison, on parole or on probation in Canada.
- Are charged with, on trial for, or appealing a conviction for:
- An indictable offence in Canada
- An offence outside Canada
- Were convicted in the four years before applying for citizenship of an:
- Indictable offence in Canada
- Offence outside Canada
Time spent in prison, on parole or on probation in Canada does not count towards physical presence requirements.
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
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