Permanent Residence or Citizenship

Canadian Citizenship

Canadian Citizenship was first introduced in 1947 by the Canadian Citizenship Act. Since then, several major amendments were passed by Canadian Governments. And, in our days, the law says both Canadian-born and naturalized citizens are equally entitled to the right of the citizen and to the duties of the citizen. Under the Act, all persons born in Canada are Canadian citizens at birth, with minor exceptions (e.g., children of diplomats). However, at the same time, children born outside Canada to a Canadian parent must submit an application to obtain a Canadian Citizenship Certificate to prove they are Canadian citizens.

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 (can travel to 170+ 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.

Permanent Residence (PR)

Getting the Canadian PR is the first step towards obtaining citizenship in Canada. Since 2010, Canada has welcomed an average of more than 260,000 permanent residents each year. Furthermore, Canada has the highest rate of naturalization in the world – 85% of eligible permanent residents become citizens.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the federal department that manages Canadian citizenship, both for those applying for citizenship and for current Canadian citizens. Before you submit a Canadian citizenship application, you must satisfy several IRCC requirements. These requirements include a minimum of three years of being a permanent resident, as well as language and residence requirements. IRCC may return your application as incomplete if you do not send acceptable proof that you have met residence requirements or have adequate knowledge of English or French. So, given the long application processing times, it is critical to avoid any errors that can cause further delays or in some cases refusals.

After you submit the citizenship application, the final step will be taking the Canadian citizenship test. Once you pass the test, and are approved as a Canadian citizen, you will receive an invitation to a citizenship ceremony.