Citizenship
There are many benefits to becoming a Canadian citizen including the right to settle permanently in one of the world's most prosperous countries, participate in the country's democracy, and possess one of the world's strongest passports.
Becoming eligible for Canadian citizenship entails the likes of meeting residency requirements, being able to speak English and/or French, and not having a criminal history considered prohibitive to becoming a citizen.
This comprehensive CanadaVisa page provides an overview of Canadian citizenship eligibility criteria.
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Canadian Citizenship Eligibility Criteria
You need to meet several criteria to be eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship:
- Be a permanent resident
- Meet Canada’s physical presence requirements
- File your taxes (if necessary)
- Pass a Canadian citizenship test (if you are between the ages of 18-54)
- Prove your language skills (if you are between the ages of 18-54)
Permanent resident status
You must be a permanent resident to apply for Canadian citizenship. Your Permanent Residence (PR) card does not need to be valid at the time of your application and you can still apply with an expired PR card. Holding permanent resident status entails not being under review for immigration or fraud reasons, not being subject to a removal order, and not having unfulfilled conditions relating to your permanent resident status (e.g., you have yet to complete a medical screening).
Canada’s physical presence requirements
You must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) out of the past five years before applying for Canadian citizenship (unless there are exceptional circumstances). Children under 18 must also have permanent resident status, but do not have to satisfy the three-year requirement.
If you lived in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident, you can calculate some of that time towards your physical presence requirement. Each day you spent in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person in the last five years can count as a half day. You can use a maximum of 365 days as a temporary resident or protected person towards your physical presence requirement.