Canadian citizenship

Canadian citizenship brings many benefits, including the right to settle permanently in one of the world’s most prosperous countries, to take part in its democracy, and to hold one of the world’s most powerful passports.

Canada expects to welcome more than 430,000 new permanent residents each year. Most of these newcomers will go on to become Canadian citizens. On completing that process, they take an oath of allegiance, committing to the responsibilities and receiving the rights of Canadian citizenship.

Requirements for Canadian citizenship

The basic requirements for becoming a Canadian citizen cover residence, the ability to speak English and/or French, and a clean criminal record. Specifically, you must:

• Be a permanent resident.
• Meet the physical presence requirement (time spent in Canada).
• File tax returns (where required).
• Pass the Canadian citizenship test (if you are aged 18-54).
• Demonstrate your language ability (if you are aged 18-54).

Permanent resident status

You must be a permanent resident to apply for Canadian citizenship. Your permanent resident (PR) card need not be valid at the time you apply; you can apply with an expired PR card.

Permanent resident status requires that you are:

• Not under review for immigration or fraud reasons.
• Not subject to a removal order.
• Free of any outstanding conditions attached to your permanent resident status.

Physical presence in Canada

You must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) within the five years before you apply for citizenship (with certain exceptions). Children under 18 must also hold permanent resident status but do not need to meet this three-year requirement.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recommends applying with more than 1,095 days of physical presence, in case of any error in your calculation.

If you lived in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident, you may count part of that time towards the physical presence requirement. Each day spent in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person within the past five years counts as half a day. You can use up to 365 such days towards the physical presence requirement.

Filing tax returns (where required)

You may need to have filed Canadian tax returns for at least three years within the five years before you apply for citizenship.

You may need to file a personal income tax return, even if you lived in Canada for only part of the year, if you:

• Owe tax for that year
• Wish to claim a refund
• Wish to receive benefits and tax credits

Passing the Canadian citizenship test

If you are aged between 18 and 54 on the date you sign your citizenship application, you must sit the Canadian citizenship test. The test lasts 30 minutes and consists of multiple-choice and true/false questions. You may take it in English or in French. The pass mark is 15/20.

The test covers the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens, along with Canada’s history, geography, economy, government, laws and symbols.

Language ability

Applicants aged between 18 and 54 must also show that they can speak English or French at level 4 or above on theCanadian Language Benchmark (CLB). IRCC assesses your language skills in several ways, for example:

• Reviewing the evidence you submit to prove your language ability.
• IRCC may note how well you communicate with citizenship officials during the application process.
• IRCC may assess your language skills at an interview with a citizenship official, if required.

One example of language evidence is having completed a secondary or post-secondary programme of study in English or French. IRCC also accepts the results of an English or French test you have taken. Such a test may, for instance, have been taken as part of a language training programme in Canada or during your application for Canadian permanent residence.

Grounds for ineligibility

Canadian citizenship will not be granted to applicants who:

• Do not meet the minimum number of days of residence in Canada.
• Cannot speak English or French.
• Do not pass the citizenship test or the interview.
• Cannot provide the required documents proving residence.

In addition, a number of legal and criminal matters can make you ineligible for Canadian citizenship.

If any of the following applies to you, you may not be eligible to apply for citizenship:

• Your citizenship has been revoked in the past five years.
• You have been convicted of a criminal offence in the past three years.
• You are in prison, on parole or serving a suspended sentence.
• You are subject to a removal order from Canada.
• You are under investigation for, or have been convicted of, a war crime or a crime against humanity.

Applying for Canadian citizenship

Applying for Canadian citizenship involves submitting a formal application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), sitting the citizenship test and, in some cases, attending a citizenship interview.

Submitting the application

The application must be completed and sent to the appropriate IRCC office for review. Once the application is verified, the applicant receives a notice to attend the citizenship test.

The citizenship test

Applicants aged between 18 and 54 must sit the citizenship test, which examines their knowledge of Canada’s history, geography, political processes, and the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens. IRCC provides a study guide entitledA Look at Canada to all applicants.

• The test has 20 questions. The pass mark is 15 out of 20.
• The test usually lasts 30 minutes.
• On the day of the test, applicants must bring all original documents, including immigration documents, passports, photo identification, and documents relating to their permanent resident status in Canada.
• Under the rules, some applicants may be asked to meet a citizenship judge for an interview. The interview usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes.

Minors (under 18) do not have to sit the test.

The citizenship ceremony

Successful applicants must attend a citizenship ceremony. All attendees are asked to sing the Canadian national anthem and to take the oath of Canadian citizenship in English or French before a judge. Once this is done, they are formally granted Canadian citizenship.

The Oath of Canadian Citizenship

English

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada including the Constitution which recognises and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

French

Je jure (ou j’affirme solennellement) que je serai fidèle et porterai sincère allégeance à Sa Majesté le roi Charles Trois roi du Canada à ses Héritiers et Successeurs que j’observerai fidèlement les lois du Canada y compris la Constitution qui reconnaît et confirme les droits ancestraux ou issus de traités des Premières Nations, des Inuits et des Métis et que je remplirai loyalement mes obligations de citoyen Canadien.

English rendering

I swear (or affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada, His Heirs and Successors, that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognises and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and that I will fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

The Canadian national anthem

English

O Canada! Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all of us command. With glowing hearts

we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free! From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land

glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

French

O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux,

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux. Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,

Il sait porter la croix. Ton histoire est une épopée,

Des plus brillants exploits. Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,

Protégera nos foyers et nos droits. Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

The rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens

Rights

• Legal rights
• Equality rights
• Mobility rights
• The rights of Indigenous peoples
• The right to peaceful assembly
• The right to vote
• Freedom of thought
• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of religion

It is important to recognise that these rights and freedoms come with responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Obey Canada’s laws.
• Express your views freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others.
• Help others in the community.
• Take responsibility for protecting the environment and preserving our heritage.
• Eliminate discrimination and injustice.

Proof of Canadian citizenship

You may be eligible for Canadian citizenship if you were born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen.

The great advantages of Canadian citizenship include the right to live permanently in one of the best countries in the world and to hold one of the world’s most powerful passports.

A Canadian citizenship certificate is a standardised document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) providing authoritative proof that you are a citizen of the country. Along with a Canadian birth certificate, it is one of only two documents accepted by Passport Canada as proof of Canadian citizenship.

Requirements

You are eligible for Canadian citizenship if you were born outside Canada and at least one of your biological or legal parents at birth was a Canadian citizen. The Canadian government’s formal process for confirming whether you are a citizen is to apply forproof of Canadian citizenship also known as aCanadian citizenship certificate.

Note that Canada grants citizenship by descent only to the first generation born outside Canada to Canadian citizen parents.

You can apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate at any point in your life. The application can be made whether your Canadian citizen parent is alive or deceased.

Note that children adopted by a Canadian citizen after birth must go through the process of becoming Canadian citizens. Such cases are not eligible to apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate.

How to apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate

To apply for a Canadian citizenship certificate, download the application package from the IRCC website. IRCC will require proof that at least one of your biological or legal parents at birth was a Canadian citizen. You can apply online through the IRCC website.

Once IRCC receives your application, you will be sent an acknowledgement of receipt and your file will be reviewed and processed.

You can check the status of your application online on the IRCC website. Complex cases may take longer to process. IRCC offers urgent processing in exceptional circumstances, expediting the process for those who need access to benefits such as healthcare or a social insurance number, who are starting a job, or who must travel to or from Canada in an emergency.

Dual citizenship in Canada

Dual citizenship (or multiple citizenship) arises when a person is a citizen of two or more countries.

Canadian citizens retain their Canadian citizenship when they acquire a second citizenship elsewhere. In practice, Canadian citizens cannot lose their citizenship unless they voluntarily renounce it through a complex legal process.

For citizens of many other countries who become Canadian citizens, however, dual citizenship is not always possible. Some countries revoke citizenship when their nationals take a Canadian passport; others may not recognise the new citizenship.

Rules on dual citizenship

Common ways of acquiring a citizenship include:

• Being born on territory regarded as belonging to that country.
• Having one or both parents who are citizens of that country.
• Marrying a national of that country.
• Going through a legal naturalisation process, including examinations, in another country.
• Living in that country long enough to qualify for citizenship.

Many countries allow dual citizenship, and Canada is one of them. While Canadian law is very open and accommodating on dual citizenship, that is not true everywhere. Each country has its own rules and laws on the matter. Anyone seeking Canadian citizenship should consult their home government or its embassy or consulate for full information on how acquiring Canadian citizenship will affect their existing status.

For all the benefits of dual and multiple citizenship, there can also be drawbacks. Beyond the possible loss of a previous citizenship, you may find yourself caught between two countries’ legal rules, tax regimes, compulsory military service and other unexpected obligations. Which laws apply to an individual depends on the country in which they are resident at the time. It is therefore important to understand the rules on dual or multiple citizenship in each country of which you are a national.

You can read more about Canadian citizenship on the Government of Canada website athere.