Canadian Citizenship is a source of great importance and meaning to most people. In the eyes of many people, Canadian citizens guarantee a better future.
From May 23 through May 29 29, Canada will celebrate Citizenship Week. It is the time to celebrate Canadian Citizenship. Canadian Citizenship Act came into force on January 1, 1947, under the leadership of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. Since it was passed, this Citizenship Act has been amended to reflect the values of Canada’s multicultural society. The pandemic has also spurred technological innovation in Canadian Citizenship by introducing virtual citizenship ceremonies.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser further elaborated on some of the changes made to the Citizenship Act, which are in the direction of an open and welcoming Canada.
“Canada is known worldwide as a country that respects and celebrates our differences,” according to an obituary attributed to minister Fraser in a news announcement. “As we have grown, we have amended our Citizenship Act to reflect our values and promote an inclusive society.”
“Most recently, these amendments include broadening the interpretation of ‘citizenship by descent to be more inclusive for families,” the minister added. “They also establish an entirely fresh Oath of Citizenship that recognizes the treaty rights and inherent legal rights and obligations that are the property of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, as well as the responsibility for all citizens to adhere to the treaties signed with the crown and Indigenous nations. We’re committed to ensuring that the dark and tragic events of our history will not be lost in moving to work towards reconciliation.”
As citizens, you enjoy many rights that aren’t available for permanent citizens, like voting and possessing a Canadian passport. Here are a few procedures Canadian permanent residents must follow to qualify to become citizens.
How do I become eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship?
Becoming an official resident
If you’ve already completed this step, continue scrolling. If you fail, you will need to determine if you are qualified to participate in more than 100 Canadian visa programs.
Meet residency requirements
You must have lived within Canada for at least 1,095 calendar days (three years) within the five years before applying for Citizenship. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recommends using for Citizenship with more than 1,095 days in Canada to avoid problems with calculation.
Suppose you visited Canada as a temporary resident and were a protected person. You might be eligible to count that time towards the residency requirements. Each day you spent in Canada as an unprotected or temporary resident person within the last five years is counted as a half-day when you estimate your presence in physical terms. IRCC permits you to count all of the days you spent as an unprotected or temporary resident person to calculate your physical reality.
Temporary residents are students, visitors, workers, or temporary permit holders. Protected Persons include those in need of being saved or refugees under the Immigration and Refugee Board convention or who received a favorable decision in a pre-removal risk assessment by the IRCC.
Generally speaking, time spent out of Canada is not counted toward your physical presence requirements. However, there are exceptions. For instance, permanent residents who work at a location in the United States may be able to count their time in the US toward their physical presence requirement so long as they live within Canada as well as return back to Canada for at least a part during the day.
Tax returns are due.
You could be required to pay taxes with Canada for a minimum of three consecutive years during the five years preceding the time you can apply for Citizenship.
Even if you were in Canada for a short period of the year, you could be legally required to file an annual income tax report if:
- Taxes to be paid for the entire year
- Do you want to claim a refund?
- You’re looking for a way to earn a profit and credit card payments
- You must pass a Canadian citizenship test
Anyone between 18 and 54, when they submit their Canadian citizenship application, has to take an exam for Citizenship. The test is a quiz about the rights and obligations of Canadians as well as Canada’s history, geography, economy and government, laws, and significance. The test lasts 30 minutes long. It is available in either English or French and contains multiple-choice and truth or falsity questions. To pass the test, you will need to score 15 % out of 20.
Prove your language skills
Aged 18-54, applicants must also prove that they can speak English and French by attaining the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) score of 4 or more in writing, reading or listening, and speaking. IRCC evaluates your proficiency in English or French by a variety of means, including:
- Examining the evidence that you have submitted in your application
- Be sure to note how you interact with the officials responsible for Citizenship in the application process.
- Testing your language proficiency at a hearing with a city official should be considered.
The proof of your language proficiency could include your education credential or transcript that you have submitted with the transcript in English as well as French (IRCC recognizes translations that are certified by a translator) or proof that you completed an educational secondary or post-secondary program either in English or French regardless of where you are in Canada. It can also be the result of the language test you took in connection with your Canadian permanent residency application.
Become a Canadian citizen
Over 85% of Canadian immigrants are granted Citizenship. An immigration lawyer can assist you with how to complete the Canadian citizenship process.
