Citizenship
Canadian citizenship is obtained automatically by being born in Canada, or by descent where a parent is a first-generation Canadian citizen. In the case of permanent residents, citizenship may be applied for after living in Canada for a specified residency period. Canadian citizenship carries certain privileges that are not enjoyed by permanent residents, such as the right to vote in elections, and the ability to obtain a Canadian passport.
Permanent residents of Canada may apply for Canadian citizenship after residing in Canada for a minimum legally-specified period of time. This manner of obtaining citizenship is referred to as “naturalization”. The children of naturalized Canadian citizens will also automatically obtain citizenship even if they are born abroad.
Canada allows dual citizenship, so those permanent residents who obtain Canadian citizenship can also keep their original citizenship, provided that the laws of the other country also allow dual citizenship.
Program Requirements
To be eligible for Citizenship you must:
- Be a Canadian Permanent Resident.
- Have met all of the residency requirements as conditions of your Permanent Residency.
- Be 18 years of age or be 14 years or older if with a parent.
- Have a clear criminal history and not be considered a security threat to the country.
- Be competent and able to use one of Canada’s official languages, either English or French.
- Be able to pass the Canadian Citizenship Test which tests your knowledge of Canada; although the above list is quite inclusive there are some variations that are possible depending on the person’s age and the history of their status in Canada.