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Canadian Citizen

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Canadian Citizen

Canada offers permanent residents to apply for citizenship if they have been physically present in Canada for 1095 days (3 years), within the last 5 years prior to applying. Canadian citizens are entitled to carry a Canadian passport, vote in Canadian elections or run own political campaign. They have absolute right to live in Canada, and the right to leave and enter Canada as well as can travel to 187 countries visa free. Moreover, Canada is one of the countries which recognize dual citizenship, so you don’t need to give up on your previous passport.

Who can Apply

To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must:

  • Be a permanent resident
  • Have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
  • Have filed your taxes, if you need to
  • Pass a test on your rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada
  • Prove your language skills

Language skills

Canada has two official languages: English and French. If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you must show that you can speak and listen at a specific level in one of these languages.

The ways we measure your language skills in English or French include:

  • Reviewing the proof you send with your application
  • Noting how well you communicate when you talk to a citizenship official anytime during the process
  • Assessing your language level during a hearing with a citizenship official, if necessary

To become a citizen, you need to meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher. This means you can:

  • Take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics
  • Understand simple instructions, questions and directions
  • Use basic grammar, including simple structures and tenses
  • Show you know enough common words and phrases to answer questions and express yourself

We accept various certificates, diplomas and tests as proof of your language skills.

Pass a test on your rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada

If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you need to take the citizenship test. You’ll need to answer questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s:

  • History
  • Geography
  • Economy
  • Government
  • Laws
  • Symbols

The test is:

  • In English or French
  • 30 minutes long
  • 20 questions (pass mark: 15 correct answers)
  • Multiple-choice and true or false questions
  • Based on the official citizenship study guide: Discover Canada
  • Usually written, but may be oral

Prohibitions

If you committed a crime in or outside Canada

  • You may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen for a period of time

Time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole, or on probation doesn’t count as Time you’ve lived in Canada