There are many advantages to having Canadian citizenship compared to holding Canada Work Permits. Having a Work Permit is great as it allows you to work within the country, but some Canadian jobs, like Government openings, are available exclusively for citizens. A Work Visa also requires regular updating and maintaining it.
Additionally, citizenship will give you all the rights and advantages of the country. It is common to find Work Permit holders wondering how to get their Permanent Residency Visa Canada or Canadian citizenship. If you are one of them, keep reading to find out how Croyez Immigration can help you attain citizenship.
Requirements for Canadian Citizenship
Listed below are some of the critical requirements that you have to fulfil before you can apply for Canadian citizenship:
1. Status of Permanent Residence
To be eligible to apply for permanent Canadian citizenship, you need to have Permanent Residence (PR) status. Merely holding a Work or Study permit does not equal Permanent Residence status. You must have resided in Canada for 730 days to receive this status within the last five years. These 730 days can be more than one single continuous residence. As a Permanent Residence holder, you are considered a citizen of other countries. However, you can live, work and study anywhere in Canada. You receive most of the same social benefits as Canadian citizens, like free healthcare. You need to pay taxes, and you also get legal protections. But, you do not get voting rights.
2. Time of Residence In Canada
Another requirement to apply for Canadian citizenship is how long you have lived there. You must have resided in Canada for 1095 days (3 years) or more in the last five years. Spending more time than the minimum requirement before applying is always better. This can save you time and effort in case of problems with residence calculations. However, if someone spends days in jail, that time won’t be counted as citizenship. Similarly, time spent living in the country while on probation or parole cannot be counted either.
3. Tax Fulfilment
As a Permanent Resident, you need to pay your taxes diligently without fail. Ensure you have cleared all your taxes before applying, as your tax receipts are essential documents required for citizenship. Also, it helps make a good impression if the taxes have been paid on time without any delays. If you are unable to provide tax receipts or if you have missed tax payments, your application can be cancelled.
4. Language Criteria
Canada has two official Languages- English and French. To be provided with Canadian citizenship, you must prove fluent in any of them. This exam is provided only to applicants between the ages of 18 to 54 years. The exam can be for English or French; you can choose which language you want to apply for—clear Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) Level 4 or higher to pass the language criteria. The exam includes external language certification or diploma and oral interviews with citizenship officials.
5. Citizenship Exam
The final roadblock to your Canadian citizenship is the Citizenship Exam. It is a 30-minute 20 marks Multiple Choice and True or False exam. You can choose to take the exam in either English or French. The exam is a way to check your commitment to learning about the country. The exam subjects usually include Canadian History, Geography, Economy, Government, Laws, and Symbols. All these topics are covered in the official Canadian citizenship study guide: Discover Canada.
While the exam is mostly written, it can be held orally in exceptional circumstances. Cracking this exam is very important if you want permanent citizenship. So, before sitting for the exam, study Discover Canada thoroughly.
How to Apply for Citizenship
Once you are sure to qualify for all the citizenship requirements, it is time to apply. Offline or online, both mediums of application are available. Although, only some are eligible for online applications.
Online Application:
- To apply online, you must create an account on the Canadian Citizenship website.
- Once this is done, you can start filling out the relevant online forms.
- While you can apply as an individual, you also have the option to apply as a family or a group.
- You can submit your application once all the relevant information has been filled.
- Now, you must upload your relevant legal documentation, including tax receipts.
- The final step of the process is to pay the required processing fee using online payment methods.
Offline Application:
- You must first visit your nearest citizenship office to apply for paper application forms.
- You can ask for a Citizenship Application Package. This package contains various forms. Once the forms have been filled out, attach paper copies of all relevant legal documents to the Citizenship Head Office in Nova Scotia.
- Pay the processing fee either through online or offline payment methods.
After you apply, you will receive a confirmation letter, signalling the start of the application process. You must now start preparing for the citizenship and language exams and interviews.
Conclusion
Canadian citizenship has many benefits that Canada Work Permits holders cannot enjoy. As a citizen, you can access more job opportunities, have more stability, and enjoy various civil liberties. You also get free health care, education, social security, and legal aid. Moreover, you become part of a diverse and multicultural society that values democracy, human rights, and freedom. Canadian citizenship is not only a privilege but also a responsibility that requires you to respect the laws and values of Canada. This includes paying all your taxes on time, every time.
Getting your Permanent Residency Visa in Canada is a rewarding and life-changing decision that can open many doors for you.
Croyez Immigration Services is one of the leading immigration consultants with a team of committed experts addressing all your immigration-related queries. We aim to support our customers at every step when applying for permanent residence in Canada. Our honesty and integrity in approaching the situation have brought us success in immigration services. Contact us today and convert your dream of permanent residency in Canada into reality.
