What are the advantages of a Canadian Citizenship?
Permanent residents may apply for Canadian citizenship after approximately 3 years in Canada (conditions apply, see below).
The primary benefits of Canadian citizenship over and above the PR benefits are:
- You continue to get social benefits.
- You can vote
- You can run for office in municipal, provincial, or federal elections.
- You can apply for a Canadian passport, one of the most valuable ones in the world.
- You can live anywhere without losing citizenship.
- Your kids, born anywhere in the world, will be Canadian.
How does a Canadian passport compare to my passport from back home?
According to the according to the Henley & Partners Passport Index, holders of a Canadian passport can visit 185 countries and territories visa-free or with visa on arrival. This earns Canada a rank of 6 in terms of travel freedom ( Tied with the Belgian, Irish and Swiss passports).
How do I become a citizen of Canada?
To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, the applicant must
- be a permanent resident
- have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
- Adults and some minors must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1095 days during the five years immediately before the date you sign your application.
- have filed your taxes, if you need to
- show how well you know Canada
- If you’re 18 to 54 years of age on the day you sign your application, you need to take the citizenship test
- Download and study this guide that contains everything you need to know about Canada
- prove your language skills
- You need to meet the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher in English or French
Do I become a Canadian citizen when I marry a Canadian?
- No. Marrying a Canadian citizen doesn’t give you citizenship.
- If you want to become a Canadian citizen, you must follow the same steps as everyone else. There isn’t a special process for spouses of Canadian citizens.
*All information is current as on the date of posting and is intended as a general guide for general knowledge. Please click here for the latest criteria as per the government of Canada.