Become a Canadian Citizen
If you aren’t currently a citizen of Canada, you can’t simply apply to be one. Typically, first you apply to become a resident of Canada.
Most people do this by going to university in Canada or getting a job that qualifies them for a work permit. Sometimes being a Canadian resident can make you eligible to become a permanent resident of Canada.
Permanent residents (PR) have almost all of the same rights as Canadian citizens. The main difference is that people with PR status can’t vote and they must live in the country for a certain amount of time to remain permanent residents. Some immigration programs, like Express Entry, will allow people to become a permanent resident without having ever been a resident first. In some cases, people can live as residents of Canada for a long time and never qualify to become a permanent resident. After having lived in Canada as a permanent resident for several years, most people are eligible to become a citizen of Canada. You don’t become a citizen automatically; you must apply for it and meet certain requirements. Some people choose to remain permanent residents because their country of origin doesn’t allow dual citizenship and they don’t want to renounce their original nationality. Other people may simply be happy as permanent residents and don’t feel the need to apply for citizenship.
Canadian citizens After you’ve been physically present in Canada for 1,095 days (three years) out of five years, you’re eligible to apply for citizenship. If you’ve lived in Canada for three years once you obtained PR status, this is simple. If you’ve traveled outside the country, you’ll need to calculate the days using a tool provided by the IRCC. Time spent as a temporary resident (student, temporary worker, etc) can add up to a year to your residency requirements. Time spent in prison does not count. Your application will need to include proof that you can speak English or French and that you’ve paid your taxes. You’ll also have to take a citizenship test, covering aspects of Canadian history, government, and culture.
Some government employees (and their families) can be fast tracked to citizenship. If your original nationality allows dual citizenship, you do not have to renounce your citizenship in order to become a Canadian citizen. As a US, UK, or Australian citizen, you can be a dual citizen.
Canadian citizens have the right to
- Live, work, or go to school in Canada
- Vote in federal, provincial, territorial, or local elections, unless they’ve been living outside of Canada for more than five years
- Express yourself, gather peacefully and groups, and practice your religion freely
- Enter, remain in, or leave the country
- Be treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration regardless of personal characteristics
- Have information presented, participate in government, and receive services in either English or French Canadian citizens can
- Join the armed forces
- Benefit from social welfare programs, such as healthcare, which may have residency requirements
- Eliminate discrimination and injustice, help others in the community, and protect our heritage and environment Canadian citizens have the duty to
- Respect the rights and freedoms of others
- Obey Canada’s laws and pay taxes
- Participate in the democratic process by serving on a jury
- Respect Canada’s official languages and multicultural heritage
- New Canadian citizens get the Cultural Access Pass, allowing you to visit cultural institutions for free during their first year of citizenship.
If you are a dual citizen of Canada and another country, you will need a Canadian passport in order to return to Canada if your other nationality requires an eTA to enter Canada. Canadian citizens cannot be given an eTA, therefore they require a Canadian passport. As of 2018, US citizens do not require an eTA when traveling internationally.
Contact CPRP team today to file for your Canadian Citizenship. Our Expert team has filed hundreds of Citizenship Applications. It is quite obvious that you would like to hire an expert Immigration attorney to do the best work for your Citizenship Application, as any negligence may deny your Citizenship case. So contact us today.