Considering Canadian Citizenship?

Canadian Citizenship

Many new immigrants arrive in Canada in the hopes of one day becoming Canadian citizens. Second to the decision to immigrate in the first place, taking Canadian citizenship can be the most important immigration decision a person can make.

In 2003, Canada welcomed over 147,000 new citizens through immigration. By the end of September 2004, Canada welcomed just fewer than 147,000 new immigrants in that year. Although the final tally for 2004 is not yet available, it looks like 2004 numbers will be approximately 30% higher than 2003. Why the increase?

Canada is consistently ranked among the very best places in the world to live. It is a sound democracy, with strict adherence to rights and freedoms. Canada has a reliable currency, an excellent business climate and culture enriched by countless multicultural influences. Also, in the post 9/11 world, international mobility is becoming more difficult. As such, many are looking to secure a reliable Canadian passport that will ease travel and facilitate entry into foreign lands.

Another reason more people are taking out citizenship is new restrictions on permanent residents, obligating them to be resident in Canada 730 days out of every five year period. Once citizenship is attained, these restrictions no longer apply, and persons can return to their country of birth for an indefinite period of time without ever worrying about not being let back into Canada.
To become a Canadian citizen you must:
-be 18 years of age or older;
-be a permanent resident of Canada;
-have lived in Canada for at least three of the four years before applying;
-be able to communicate in either English or French;
-know about Canada;
-know about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship;
You cannot apply for Canadian citizenship if:
-are under a removal order;
-are now charged with an indictable criminal offence;
-have been convicted of an indictable criminal offence in the past three years;
-are now in prison, on parole, or on probation;
-are being investigated for or have been convicted of war crimes;
-had your citizenship revoked in the last five years.
If you are between 18 and 59 you must pass a test that examines your knowledge about Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Courteously, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) provides all applicants with a study guide to help them prepare.
Once your application is approved and you passed your citizenship test, the final step to becoming a Canadian citizen is taking your citizenship oath. At that moment, you will cease to become a permanent resident and will from that day forward be a Canadian citizen.
A common problem that applicants face when considering citizenship is calculating the requirement to reside in Canada for 3 years (1095 days) out of 4 years prior to applying. An applicant will get credit for every day that he or she resides in Canada after becoming a permanent resident. An applicant will also receive credit for half of one day for each day he or she resided in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident. When adding up these days, it is important to remember that only days within the immediate 4 years prior to your application date will count. Any time spent on probation, as a paroled inmate or in jail will not count towards the three year requirement.
Within the Citizenship Act there are a number of safeguards that allow the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, or a citizenship judge to approve an application for citizenship when an applicant does not meet all of the requirements in special circumstances.
As CIC currently estimates that applications for citizenship will take 12-15 months to process, it is worthwhile to ensure that you meet citizenship requirements prior to applying. If you require special consideration or have any complications in your application, seek advice professional advice prior to applying.