How To Become a Canadian Citizen as an Immigrant
Are you planning to relocate to Canada and become a citizen? Or maybe you’re an immigrant who is already working in Canada and you want to become a citizen through naturalization. In this article, we will cover what you need to know if you want to become a Canadian citizen as an immigrant. Let’s dive right in!
Apply to Become a Permanent Resident of Canada
First things first, you need to become a permanent resident of Canada to be eligible for citizenship. If you’re an immigrant, there are different programs you could apply to become a permanent resident of Canada. For instance, you could apply for express entry if you’re a highly skilled worker who wants to migrate to Canada.
In addition to that, if you’re on a temporary work permit in Canada, you could apply for the express entry program under the Canadian experience class or federal skilled trades program — but you need to have worked in Canada for a few years to be considered. Alternatively, you could use other ways to become a permanent resident in Canada like the provincial nominee program, family sponsorship, starting a business or applying for a caregiver occupation.
If you’ve married a Canadian, you can also apply for permanent residency status if your partner sponsors you — this also applies to conjugal partners or common-law partners.
Live in Canada for 3 years as a Permanent Resident
After you’ve become a permanent resident of Canada, you will be eligible to apply for citizenship after five years. However, you need to live in Canada for at least 3 years (1,095 days) as a permanent resident before you apply to become a citizen.
The IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has an online calculator that you could use to figure out how many days you’ve been in Canada. Your time in Canada as a temporary resident is also calculated — but each day is counted as half a day when you were a temporary resident. What’s more, the 1095 days that you’re required to be physically present in the country don’t have to be continuous — you can travel out of Canada as long as you meet the minimum threshold.
File your Income Taxes in Canada
Similar to living in Canada, you need to file your income taxes for at least 3 years to be considered eligible for citizenship. The income tax should be filed even if you travelled outside of Canada as a permanent resident. The IRCC has outlined all the requirements you need to follow when filing income tax as a newcomer. Besides that, you can consult a certified accountant, attorney or an agent to help you out if you’re not familiar with Canada’s tax system.
Demonstrate that you Understand English or French
Permanent residents who want to become Canadian citizens must demonstrate that they understand English or French. If you completed a secondary, college or university course that was done in English or French, you can submit a copy of your certificate, transcript, or diploma during the application process — this applies even if your course was done outside of Canada.
However, if you didn’t complete any educational course in English or French, you need to submit a copy of your language proficiency test results that shows you meet the criteria. To demonstrate that you’re proficient in English, you’re required to pass CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) General test or IELTS (International English Language Testing System). Your CELPIP-G and IELTS test results could also be required when you’re applying to become a permanent resident — and if you took the test, you don’t need to retake it when applying for citizenship.
Pass the Citizenship Test
Before your citizenship application is approved by the IRCC, you will be required to pass a citizenship test. The candidates are evaluated on the history, economy, government, laws, symbols and geography of Canada. The citizenship test is done in English or French, and you will have 30 minutes to answer all the questions. Successful candidates are required to correctly answer 15 out of the 20 questions.
Applicants who fail the citizenship test can still retake it after a few weeks. Nevertheless, the citizenship test is easy to pass considering all the questions are sourced from “Study Guide: Discover Canada”, and the answers are multiple choice.
Any minor and adult over 55 years is exempted from taking the citizenship test — but an interview could be necessary.
Take the Oath of Citizenship
After you’ve passed the citizenship test and interview, you will be invited to a ceremony where you will be required to take an oath and sign the national anthem. Once you’ve taken your oath, you will receive a citizenship certificate, and you can go ahead and apply for a Canadian passport.