Any individual who secures Canadian permanent residence can become a citizen if Canada once they satisfy the eligibility criteria – see below. Any individual who fits the definition of a citizen under the Citizenship Act of Canada can be termed as a Canadian citizen. There are 2 factors that determine if a person is a Canadian citizen:

• If the individual is a Canadian by birth (either born in Canada or outside Canada to a parent who was either born in Canada or granted citizenship) or
• If he/ she petitioned for and was granted Canadian citizenship through naturalization.

Eligibility criteria to become a Canadian citizen

A permanent resident of Canada can become a citizen of Canada once they satisfy certain criteria. The criteria for Canadian citizenship are:

• The individual has lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
• They have filed taxes
• Passed a citizenship test
• Proved their language skills

But there are also certain exceptions if:

• An individual is applying for a minor (under age 18)
• A Canadian is applying for an adopted child born outside Canada
• A current or former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member is applying under the fast-track process.
• They are a past Canadian citizen who want the Canadian citizenship back this includes current and former CAF members.

The Citizenship test and interview

An individual will have to take the citizenship test or go to the interview depending on their age and application. Any adult between the age of 18 and 54 will have to mandatorily take the test and attend the interview but if an individual is aged 55 or older then they will not have to take the test and will automatically be eligible to attend the interview. Minors under the age of 18 with a Canadian parent and minors under the age of 14 without a Canadian parent       or parents applying at the same time will not have to take the test or attend interviews however, a minor will have to attend the interview if the IRCC has specific questions, the minor and the person who submitted the application for the minor must be present for this interview. The test shows what the applicant knows about Canada. There will be a total of 20 questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s history, geography, economy, government, laws, and symbols. The test questions will be based on the official citizenship study guide and will not assess any language skills.

The official study guide is free and available in multiple formats, one can choose to read it online, listen to the MP3 version, download the PDF, or order a paper copy of the study guide. The invitation to take the citizenship test will be sent within weeks after the applicant receives the acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter from the IRCC, a notice with the date, time and location will be sent 1 to 2 weeks before the test. If one is not available on the day of the appointment, they will have to send a message to the IRCC explaining why to get a new date, if the IRCC does not receive the explanation or the explanation isn’t reasonable, they are authorized to stop processing the application and the citizenship will not be granted.

The test taker will have to bring along certain documents on the day of the exam, namely:

1. Notice to Appear, which is the notice asking them to take the test, along with other documents if requested in the notice to appear.
2. A permanent resident (PR) card if one is available.
3. 2 pieces of personal identification (ID), 1 piece of ID with your photograph and signature, such as a driver’s licence or health card.
4. If the applicant is a foreigner, then foreign ID documents must be government-issued.
5. If the IDs are not in English or French, they will have to provide a translation with an affidavit from the translator.
6. All passports and travel documents, current and expired, that was listed on the application form.
7. For applicants between the age of 18-54, a certificate, diploma, degree, or transcript that proves their English or French language skills will have to be submitted.

The test will take place in English or French and will last for 30 minutes containing 20 questions with multiple-choice and true or false questions, a total of 15 correct answers are required to pass the test. If the applicant does not pass the first written test but meets all the other requirements for a citizenship, then the applicant will be eligible for a second test. The second test usually takes place 4 to 8 weeks after the first test but might take longer in a few cases.

Read more about the Citizenship test here.

Cultural Access Pass

The Cultural Entrance Pass (CAP) from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s (ICC) gives new Canadian residents free access to galleries, museums, discovery centres, and natural parks across the country by encouraging new citizens to create their own Canadian experience during their first year of citizenship, this initiative helps to introduce foreigners to Canadian culture.

Read more about the Cultural Access Pass here.

Contact us to know if you qualify to migrate to Canada. Check out Owlspriority Immigration’s Canada Settlement Resources to learn about finding employment in Canada, making your initial days stress-free, etc.