To become eligible to apply for Candian citizenship, permanent residents must meet specific requirements.
These Include:

  • Being a permanent resident
  • Having lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
  • Filing taxes
  • Proving language skills

Depending on the specific situation of the individual, there may be additional requirements. In order for permanent residents to become Canadian citizens, they must have resided in Canada for at least 1095 days of the five years preceding their application. Under special circumstances, the citizenship application may be approved for those who do not meet the residence requirement. Children under 18 do not have to meet this requirement.

If the application is accepted the individual has to write a citizenship test, however, children under 18 years of age and persons 54 and over do not have to write the citizenship test.

After the test, the applicant will be asked to come in for an interview in which the test results will be given. The interview will further test one’s language skills, verify documents and ensure all the requirements of citizenship are met. If the test and interview are cleared, a date for the citizenship ceremony will be scheduled.

As Canada recognizes dual citizenship, an individual will not be asked to renounce any previous citizenship of other countries. Once Canadian citizenship has been granted to a permanent individual, they are entitled to the same rights and responsibilities as those of a natural Canadian citizen. These rights include but aren’t limited to: the right to vote in federal, provincial, and municipal Canadian elections, and the elimination of residency obligations.