Canada has one of the highest citizenship rates among first-world countries. This means that a majority of immigrants become Canadian citizens after living in the country for the required period of time. This is not so surprising considering that Canada was named the best country in the world in 2021 for qualities such as safety and economic opportunities. Discover more about what it takes to become a Canadian citizen and the added advantages that citizens enjoy in Canada.
Having residency status legally grants you permission to live in Canada indefinitely. However, you are still the lawful citizen of your originating country and could be deported under specific circumstances. Permanent residents can enjoy the same social benefits as citizens living in the country such as free public healthcare and education. That said, permanent residents have a few limitations compared to Canadian citizens such as not being able to vote or own a Canadian passport.
All permanent residents, after a certain duration of time (usually three years), are eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship. Find out more below!
It’s true that Canadian citizens enjoy more benefits than permanent residents and this is the reason so many immigrants choose to pay the $630 citizenship fee to sit the citizenship test and obtain the highly coveted Canadian passport.
Your right to vote is one of the most important benefits of acquiring citizenship. Canada is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen as head of state and parliamentary democracy that elects the Prime Minister. As a citizen, you’ll have the right to elect representatives at each level of government (federal, provincial, and municipal). You will also be able to hold political office just like Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development who was born in Somalia and many others before him.
Citizens can apply for more high-paying jobs in government that require security clearances such as policy analysts and campaign managers.
Canada has the 9th most powerful passport in the world. What does this mean? It means that Canadian citizens are eligible to travel to more countries without a visa. Out of 195 countries in the world, you’ll be able to travel to 140 of them without a visa! Some visa-exempt destinations include Denmark, France, Greece, and Hong Kong. A Canadian passport only expires every 10 years whereas a permanent resident card must be renewed every five years.
Canadian law allows you to hold dual citizenship. This means that you have the option to be both a citizen of Canada and your country of birth if your country permits it too. Dual citizens enjoy certain benefits, such as the ability to live and work freely in two countries, own property in both countries, and travel between the countries with relative ease.
Permanent residents have more “rules” to follow such as complying with certain residency requirements, for example limiting the time they spend outside the country. If convicted of a crime, Canadian citizens will not ordinarily lose citizenship while permanent residents will face deportation if the crime is considered serious enough by the IRCC.
It costs CAD $630 for an adult to apply for Canadian Citizenship and it costs CAD $100 for a minor’s application as long as they are under the age of 18 when the application is submitted.
Your citizenship application takes 12 months to process.
If you meet the requirements to apply for citizenship in Canada then you will be required to write a citizenship test. The passing score for the citizenship test is 75% which means you must correctly answer 15 out of the 20 questions. The test is composed of questions about the rights and responsibilities of Canadians and Canada’s history, geography, economy, government, laws, and symbols.
To apply for citizenship in Canada you must meet specific requirements. First and foremost, you must be a permanent resident who has lived in Canada for at least three years and meet the English or French language requirements among other criteria.
Applying for Canadian citizenship is a walk in the park compared to earning permanent residency. You can apply for citizenship by submitting an application online and then check your email for an invitation from the IRCC.
mwagents.ca helps you complete your immigration application affordably, and conveniently through an easy-to-use Digital Visa Dashboard. We are affiliated with Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) situated in Vancouver. They are legally permitted to liaise with Canadian authorities on your behalf and submit your application to the Canadian government. We simplify the process and optimize your chances of success.
Take the first step to Canada by applying for permanent residency. Simply, fill in the form below and we’ll contact you.
Your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is based on the following factors:
Provincial Nomination (600 Points)
600 points are awarded for an enhanced Nominee certificate from a province in Canada through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
Job Offers (50-600 Points)
A Canadian job offer will also earn you points; the number of points is based on the NOC level of the particular job.
Core Human Capital Factors (600 Points)
These take into account your level of education, for example:
If you intend to gain higher qualifications, your score will increase. This same point system applies to your legal partner or spouse if you applied together.
Language (150 Points)
Improving your language skills in either English or French through a recognized Canadian institution can also raise your CRS score.
Work Experience
The more experience you have, the more points you earn. This also applies to your legal partner or spouse.
You must:
You must register with the Canadian Job Bank within 30 days unless:
You must have a Labour Market Impact Assessment in order to earn Comprehensive Ranking System points, unless you:
If you qualify for any of the Federal Programs, you have 30 days from when you submit your profile to complete the rest of the requirements like registering with the Job Bank. If you do not, your Express Entry profile cannot be activated.
There are three programs to apply for under Express Entry:
The following factors affect your eligibility:
Work Experience
You must:
Language Ability
You must:
Education
You must:
Proof of Funds
You must prove you can support yourself and your family financially, unless:
Additional Factors to Be Considered
This program is aimed at people who wish to become permanent residents (PR) of Canada. This only applies to people who qualify in a skilled trade.
Minimum Requirements
You must:
Skilled Work Experience
These skilled trades are involved in the Federal Skilled Trades Program as ranked by the National Occupational Classification.
Group Number | Job Description |
---|---|
72 | Industrial, construction or electrical trades |
73 | Equipment operation and maintenance |
82 | Technical and supervisors in:
|
92 | Processing, manufacturing and utilities supervisor Central control operators |
632 | Cooks and chefs |
633 | Bakers and butchers |
Education
You do not need a specific qualification for this program, but you can earn more CRS points if you have:
Language Ability
Be assessed by the province or territory
Each of the provinces or territories have different requirements for the skilled trade industry.
Minimum Requirements
You must:
Skilled Work Experience
Work experience must be gained in the following job levels based on the National Occupational Classifications.
Job Description | Skill Type |
---|---|
Technical jobs | B |
Skilled trades | B |
Professional jobs | A |
Managerial jobs | 0 |
Education
You do not need an education to apply for this program, but you can score higher if you:
Language Ability
To qualify you must score well in the various language tests determined by the CEC.
Canadian Language Benchmark Score Needed | Job Level (NOC) |
---|---|
7 | 0 |
7 | A |
5 | B |
The language test must be approved by IRCC and must not be older than two years when you apply.
Note:work experience gained as a student or a self-employed individual does not count.
Work experience must be within three years of applying for the Canadian Experience Class. Work experience must be gained in the following job levels as based on National Occupational Classifications.
Job description | Skill Type |
---|---|
Technical jobs | B |
Skilled trades | B |
Professional jobs | A |
Managerial jobs | 0 |
You do not need an education to apply for this program, but you can score higher if:
Note: Only apply for an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) if your foreign education is either equal to, or higher than the Canadian education standard.
To qualify you must score well in:
Canadian Language Benchmark score needed | Job level (NOC) |
---|---|
7 | 0 |
7 | A |
5 | B |
The Language Test must be approved by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada .These tests are based off your French and English ability to:
Your test results must be included if you are applying for this program through the Express Entry program. Note: these tests must not be older than two years when you apply.
When you apply for the Express Entry, and want to immigrate with your common law partner, you must choose who will be the principal applicant.
Note: a common law partner is a person who has been married to you for one year. This applies for same sex and opposite sex partners.
Choose the principal applicant by looking at who will score the highest points under the Express Entry program.
You may be inadmissible if you are:
Note:under the Express Entry you can apply to live in other provinces/territories in Canada, except Quebec. This province has its own set of requirements needed for you to enter.
These are the factors that are used to calculate CRS Points
A legal agent is an authorized representative that must be:
Note: An unauthorized agent will not be able to help you with your application.
If you want to ensure that your Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) is an authorized consultant, you can check with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC).
The ICCRC’s website has a register of all the persons that are qualified to be Canadian Immigration Consultants. Any individual who claims to be a legal consultant will have a RCIC code. If there are no results for a person’s RCIC code, then they are not a legal Canadian Immigration Consultant.
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If you are married provide following documents for your spouse and dependent child whether they are
accompanying or not:
Please note that CIC provide us 60 days to submit 2nd stage documentation from the date of Invitation
and we may take up to 7 business day to submit from the date of receipt of all documents from you.
So kindly start collecting all documents beforehand.
Your all education documents after 12th class. If your diploma, certificate or degree
was not issued in Canada, you must also provide an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA)
You must show that you have at least 12 months of full-time work experience within the 36
months before your application.
You must provide the following documents of you and your spouse:
Submit bank statement or balance certificate to prove you have enough funds to settle in
Canada.
**All documents in a language other than English or French must be translated. Provide both a
photocopy of the document and the translation in English or French. **