Canadian Citizenship Application
On October 11, 2017, Citizenship requirements for physical presence, language and knowledge have changed under the new rules for Canadian Citizenship. To be eligible to become a Canadian Citizen, you must meet all the following conditions:
Permanent Resident Status
If you are applying for citizenship, you must have Permanent Resident (PR) status in Canada and no unfulfilled conditions related to your PR status. In other words, your PR status must not be in question which means that you must not be under review for immigration or fraud reasons, not have certain unfulfilled conditions related to your PR status and not be under a removal order from Canadian Officials to leave Canada.
You don’t need a valid PR card to apply for citizenship. If you have an expired PR card, you can still apply for citizenship.
Physical Presence
You must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1095 days during the five years right before the date you sign your application. Under the new rules, time spent in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person may be used towards your physical presence calculation. Each day spent physically in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident within the last 5 years will count as one half day, with a maximum of 365 days, towards your physical presence.
Income Tax Filing
You must meet your personal income tax filing obligations in three tax years that are fully or partially within the five years right before the date you apply.
Language abilities
To become a Canadian Citizen, you must show that you have adequate knowledge of one of the official languages i.e. English OR French which means that you can take part in everyday conversation, understand simple instructions, use basic grammar. If you are 18 to 54 years old, you must submit proof that demonstrates you can speak and listen in English or French.
However, applicants under 18 years of age do not have to meet the language requirement. Citizenship staff will decide how well you can communicate in English or French during your interview. A citizenship officer will make the final decision on your application.
How well you know Canada
You will need to take a test to meet the knowledge requirement for citizenship which contains questions about Canada’s values, history, symbols, institutions, rights, responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, such as voting in elections and obeying the law. The Tests are in English or French made up of questions based on the Discover Canada Study Guide.
Applicants under 18 years of age do not have to meet the knowledge requirement.
Prohibitions
However, you may not be eligible to become a Canadian Citizenship, if you have committed a crime in or outside Canada and are serving a sentence outside Canada, serving a term of imprisonment, on parole or on probation in Canada OR charged with, on trial for, or involved in an appeal/convicted of an indictable offence in Canada OR offence outside Canada in the four years before applying for citizenship. Time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole, or on probation doesn’t count as time you have lived in Canada.
