Once you become a Canadian citizen after being a permanent resident for at least 3 out of 5 years, you complete the immigration process. Being a Canadian citizen means you get the right to vote, can work in high governmental positions and just become a citizen of the country similar to someone born there. There are many benefits of becoming a Canadian citizen, but how do you know if you qualify for it or not? Hence, this blog will list the eligibility criteria for citizenship in detail so you can get out of this confusion.
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Basic Canadian Citizenship Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply for Canada’s citizenship, these are the following requirements to meet:
- Be a Canada PR
- Passed citizenship test
- Lived in Canada for a minimum of 3 out of 5 years
- Paid your taxes (if required)
- Took citizenship oath
- Proved language proficiency
Eligibility Requirements in Detail
1. Be a Canada PR
When you are applying for citizenship of Canada, you must be a permanent resident already. Having permanent resident status is one of the most important requirements when you are applying for Canadian citizenship.
You can also apply for citizenship with an expired PR card as it is not so important to have a valid PR card. However, having PR status is an absolute requirement, this means you must not:
- have left any conditions of PR status left
- be under a removal order
- be under review by the Canadian government for fraud/immigration reasons
2. Passed citizenship test
The day you sign your citizenship application, if your age is between 18 to 54 years, you need to take the Canada citizenship test.
The test:
- is in English or French
- is 30 minutes long
- could have multiple choice as well as true or false questions
- could have 20 questions out of which there must be at least 15 correct answers
- is usually written but it could also be oral, and
- is based on the official citizenship guide, i.e., Discover Canada
In the test, you will find questions about the rights and responsibilities of the people of Canada, and about Canada’s:
- Government
- Economy
- Laws
- History
- Symbols
- Geography
3. Lived in Canada for a minimum of 3 out of 5 years
Before the date you sign your citizenship application, you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 out of the last 5 years). When you are figuring out the number of days for physical presence requirement, you may count the days spent:
- Outside Canada (if you were a Crown servant or you were a family member of one)
- In Canada (as a protected person or you were on a TRV)
4. Paid your taxes (if required)
You may be required to file taxes for 3 years out of 5 years, counted before the date you apply for citizenship.
5. Took citizenship oath
If you are 14 years of age or older, you must take the citizenship oath if your citizenship application is approved.
6. Proved language proficiency
To become a citizen, you need a minimum of Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher. On the day you sign your citizenship application, if your age is between 18 to 54 years, you must prove that you can adequately speak as well as understand either English or French language.
Your language skills will be measured on the basis of how you interact with a citizenship official, and the language proof that you send with your application will also be reviewed. If it’s necessary, your language skills might be assessed during a hearing with a citizenship official.
What makes you ineligible for Canadian citizenship?
There are certain situations that may prevent you from becoming a citizen of Canada. Some of them are:
- Committing a crime (whether in Canada or outside) may make you ineligible for some time
- Under a removal order
- Being investigated for criminal charges
- Your citizenship application was refused in the past 5 years (due to misrepresentation)
- You committed fraud and your and because of that your citizenship was revoked in the last 10 years
- In the last 4 years, you committed a crime outside of Canada which is considered serious criminal activity in Canada
- If you were convicted of acts such as terrorism, spying offenses, treason, etc, while you were a PR
There are more reasons that make you ineligible for Canadian citizenship. To learn them all, give us a call today at +91 844-838-6496 today and connect with India’s only CICC-licenced consultants!
How can I become a citizen of Canada?
If you fulfill certain eligibility requirements, you can become a citizen of Canada. For instance, you need to have permanent residency in Canada, have been living in the country for the past 3 out of 5 years, have good language proficiency skills, and file your taxes, if required.
Is it hard to get citizenship in Canada?
No, it’s not that hard to get Canadian citizenship if you are eligible for it. In case you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at +91 844-838-6496.
Can I get Canadian citizenship from India?
Yes, you can. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for Canadian citizenship from India.
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