Citizenship
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the federal department of Government Canada managing Immigration to Canada, Refugees and Permanent Residents qualifying for Canadian Citizenship Grant. In 2020 a total of 110,534 Permanent Residents were granted Canadian Citizenship Grant by the way of Naturalization.
Citizenship refers to the legal citizenship status of a person. Canadian citizenship can be obtained by birth or by naturalization. Naturalization is the process through which Permanent Residents acquire Canadian citizenship including a Canadian Passport. Qualifying Permanent Residents who have met certain criteria are eligible for Canadian citizenship by naturalization.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be at least 18-year-old and hold a ‘Permanent Resident Status’
- For children under 18, the parent or legal guardian must apply on behalf of the child and 1 of the parents must be a Canadian Citizen
- Must have been physically present in Canada for 3 years total of 1,095 days or more, in the last 5 years at the time of signing the application
- Must have filed Income Taxes in the last 3 years
- If between ages 18-54, must demonstrate English Proficiency in one of the official languages (English/French) with CLB-4 or higher. (This requirement can be waived if completed a Canadian Diploma, Degree or a Certificate)
- Should successfully pass The Citizenship Test on Rights, Responsibilities, and Knowledge of Canada
- Must not have any criminal convictions IN or Outside Canada. Time spend in Prison, Parole or Probation doesn’t count towards the residency requirements.
Post Eligibility, Interview and Oath:
Successful Permanent Residents qualified for Canadian Citizenship after applying for Canadian Citizenship must write & pass the Citizenship Test (Only 18-54 ages).
After the test, applicants attend an interview with a citizenship official. The interview is usually on the same day as the test.
Adults who don’t need to take the test (over 54 years of age) will still be invited to an interview.
A citizenship official makes an ‘Official Decision’ about the application after the test, interview, and hearing (only if required).
If the application is approved, the last and final step to become a Canadian citizen is taking the Oath of Citizenship. The ceremony usually takes place within 3 months after a decision has been made for the application.
It is important to note that applicants need to maintain the same status and conditions for their citizenship eligibility till their Oath ceremony. Citizenship Grant can be cancelled if:
- Permanent Resident Status is lost
- A removal order is issued in the Applicant’s name
- There has been a criminal conviction or Indictable Offense
Benefits of Canadian Citizenship:
- Canadian citizens are eligible for certain unelected government jobs that require citizenship as well as jobs requiring high security clearances. For Example: Border Security or several Government Body Jobs
- Only Canadian Citizens can Vote for Provincial and National Elections. In addition, Canadian citizens may hold political office, and represent Canadian constituents on issues like taxes, education, and foreign policy.
- With a Canadian passport, you can travel to a number of countries around the world without needing a visa. Canadian passport allows to re-enter the country more easily than a permanent residence card would
- If you are a Canadian citizen and you have a child, whether that child is born in Canada or not, they are automatically a Canadian citizen. This means they will not have to go through the same process you did of applying for Canadian citizenship
- Unlike permanent residents, who must comply with certain residency requirements, Canadians citizens can spend as much time as they like outside of Canada with no immigration consequences. In addition, Canadian citizens will not ordinarily lose citizenship if convicted of a crime, while permanent residents can face deportation if the crime is considered serious enough to merit this consequence.
- Permanent Resident Cards are valid for only five years. The cards are required for international travel and other alike purposes putting Permanent Residents in the unenviable position of needing to file a new application for a Permanent Resident Card, and pay a new fee, every five years. Citizens have no similar obligation. A Citizenship Certificate is valid indefinitely and Canadian citizens who wish to travel internationally need only renew their passports every ten years
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