85% of Canadian migrants become a citizen of Canada which is one of the rates in the world.
The benefits of being a Canadian citizen include being eligible to live permanently in one of the world’s peaceful, socially, economically, and politically stable societies. Also, enjoy one of the most powerful passports in the world and the right to vote among many other benefits.
To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, you must meet several conditions:
- Become a permanent resident of Canada.
- Meet physical presence requirements of Canada
- Pay your taxes if necessary
- Clear citizenship test
- Pass your language skill test
Status of Permanent resident
Whatever your age, you must have Canadian permanent resident status if you want to apply for Canadian citizenship. This means that you are not subject to review for immigration or fraud, are not subject to an eviction order, and have not met conditions related to your permanent resident status (for example, you have not competed for medical screening). You don’t need a valid PR card to apply for citizenship and you can apply with an expired PR card.
Physical Presence Requirements of Canada
You must be physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days. During the five years before you sign your Canadian citizenship application. IRCC encourages you to stay in Canada for more than 1095 if there is any problem with your calculation.
People who live in Canada as temporary residents or protected persons before becoming permanent residents can count some of that time towards their residency requirements. Every day that you spent in Canada as a temporary resident in the last five years counts as half-day when they calculate your physical presence in Canada.
In general, time spent outside Canada does not count toward your physical presence requirement but there are some exceptions. For example, permanent residents working in the United States may be required to have a physical presence in the U.S. They may be able to count the days spent in the U.S., as long as they live in Canada and return to Canada for at least part of the day.
Pay your taxes, if necessary
Before you apply for citizenship in Canada you may have to pay taxes in Canada for at least three years within the five years.
Even if you have lived in Canada for only one year, may you have to pay an income tax return if you want to claim a refund or you want to get benefits and credit payments.
Clear a Citizenship test
People aged 18 to 54 on the day signed their Canadian citizenship application must have to give a citizenship test on the rights and responsibilities of Canada’s geography, economy, history, government, symbols, and laws. The test is 3o minutes long in English or French, contains multiple-choice and true or false questions, and carries a passing score of 15 out of 20.
Pass your language skill test
People between the ages of 18 and 54 must also demonstrate that they can speak and hear English or French at a specific level. That indicates that you meet a level 4 or higher of the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB). The IRCC assesses your language proficiency at several levels:
- By reviewing the evidence that you submit with your application.
- Seeing how well you communicate with citizenship authorities during the application process
IRCC also accepts the result of an English or French test that you have to complete, for example, as part of your Canadian permanent residence application, or completed a language training program in Canada.
Apply for citizenship in Canada
To become a Canadian citizen is a very rewarding mark. It is the symbolic end of the newcomer phase of the Canadian migration journey. If you become a Canadian citizen, you can enjoy a variety of benefits and continue to make a meaningful contribution to Canada’s society and economy.
