To be a Canadian citizen you need to fulfill one important eligibility criterion which is your physical presence in the country for at least three years out of the previous five years. If you are 18 years old or more then you have to be in Canada for a minimum of 1,095 days in the last five years while you are applying for Canadian citizenship. You must remember one point while calculating your eligibility to have citizenship is that you have to reside in the country for 2 years. Your every day will be counted after being a permanent resident in Canada.
Calculate Your Citizenship Eligibility
Your physical presence will be counted each day after being a resident in Canada for two years before getting permanent resident status in Canada. If you are living as a temporary resident and have not left Canada for the last three years, that will count for only 365 days. IRCC will observe your last five years before the day you submit your application for your physical presence requirement and If you have already been in Canada physically for the past five years as a permanent resident. The time you have spent in Canada as a temporary resident will not count and you have to live in Canada for a minimum of 1095 days ( three years) in Canada.
Other eligibility criteria for Canadian citizenship
Expect the requirement of the physical presence there are some other eligibility requirements to be a Canadian citizen are:
- You must have knowledge of English or French language so that you can communicate with other people in Canada. You have to submit your language proficiency test results if you are between the ages of 18 to 54.
- You must not have any criminal history to get citizenship in Canada as the rules by IRCC.
- You must have knowledge about your rights and duties as a citizen in Canada and have to get knowledge about the geography and history of Canada.
- You have to pay your taxes while living in Canada for a minimum of three years in the last five years before applying for permanent residency status.
- You have to submit an application to Immigration Refugee Canadian citizenship and have to pay a fee for the processing of the application along with a fee for the right of citizenship.
After completing all the given eligibility criteria, you have the eligibility to apply for Canadian citizenship. After getting approval the applicants having age between 18 to 54 will take a citizenship test. Then you will receive Canadian citizenship.
Physical Presence Calculator
You can calculate your physical presence in Canada using a calculator. This calculator will show you whether you can apply for Canadian citizenship and if not, it will show you when you can be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship.
Calculating Time In Canada
You have to count only five years immediately after submitting your application to be a permanent resident. If you physically reside in Canada with a temporary resident status prior to gaining permanent citizenship then your presence will count as half of a day for a maximum of 365 days. Your physical presence in Canada after getting permanent resident status would count as a single day. If you have spent time in Canada serving a term of imprisonment, probation or parole will not be counted as your physical presence.
Notice for former claimants of refuge and/or PRRA applicants
If you are living in Canada on the basis of a study visa refugee claim or Pre-Removal Risk Assessment. With these documents, you cannot be a Temporary Resident in Canada and you cannot count this time duration while calculating your physical presence in Canada.
How To Use the Physical Presence Calculator?
- Fill in complete information as asked or required.
- Enter all information and dates carefully and correctly.
- Enter the time you have spent serving a sentence in Canada in the previous five years
- Enter the time you spent outside Canada, such as for vacation or work in the previous five years
The physical presence calculator only accepts the information about the last five years before the date of submitting an application.
What happens next?
The physical presence calculator will show you whether you complete the. physical presence requirement or not. If you complete the physical presence requirement then you have to attach this copy with your Application for Canadian Citizenship. If you are not able to complete the physical presence requirements you cannot be able to apply for Citizenship.
The calculator will indicate to you when you can apply. Whenever you try to apply for permanent residency status in the nation you need to calculate your physical presence and attach it with your application before submission.
