how to become a citizen of canada

How to become a Canadian citizen

June 1st, 2011 Citizenship, Settlement

New Canadian citizens take the oath together at a special ceremony held at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

Many new immigrants arrive in Canada in the hopes of one day becoming Canadian citizens. Second to the decision to immigrate in the first place, taking Canadian citizenship can be the most important immigration decision a person can make.

In 2003, Canada welcomed more than 147,000 new citizens through immigration. Although the final tally for 2004 is not yet available, it looks like 2004 numbers will be approximately 30 per cent higher than 2003.

So what does it take to become a Canadian citizen? You must:

• be 18 years of age or older
• be a permanent resident of Canada
• have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years before applying
• be able to communicate in either English or French
• know about Canada
• know about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
• You cannot apply for Canadian citizenship if you:
• are under a removal order
• are now charged with an indictable criminal offence
• have been convicted of an indictable criminal offence in the past three years
• are now in prison, on parole or on probation
• are being investigated for or have been convicted of war crimes
• had your citizenship revoked in the last five years

If you are between 18 and 55, you must pass a test that examines your knowledge about Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Once your application is approved and you have passed your citizenship test, the final step to becoming a Canadian citizen is taking your citizenship oath.

A common problem that immigrants face when considering citizenship is calculating the requirement to reside in Canada for three years (1,095 days) out of four years before applying. You will get credit for every day that you reside in Canada after becoming a permanent resident.

You will also receive credit for half of one day for each day you resided in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident. When adding up these days, it is important to remember that only days within the immediate four years prior to your application date will count.

As CIC currently estimates that applications for citizenship will take about 12 to 18 months to process, it is worthwhile to ensure you meet citizenship requirements prior to applying. If you require special consideration or have any complications in your application, seek professional advice prior to applying.