Canadian Citizenship refers to the right of Canadian nationals to live as participatory members in Canada’s political community around civic ideals and a belief in the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Deciding to become a Canadian citizen is one of the most vital decisions an immigrant can make as it is the highest immigration status in the nation. Depending on the situation, Canadians may be citizens either by ‘birth’ or ‘naturalization. 

Canadian by birth is when Canadian citizenship is obtained either by being born in Canada or born outside Canada to a Canadian citizen who was either born in Canada or granted citizenship. Under the Citizenship Act, every baby born on Canadian soil is automatically granted Canadian citizenship, except for children of foreign diplomats. Interestingly, Canada is one of the few countries in the world that have birthright citizenship.

Canadian by naturalization this when Canadian citizenship is granted to a lawful permanent resident after meeting eligibility requirements and Laws established by the Parliament of Canada in the Citizenship Act. This also includes the acquisition of citizenship by children of the naturalized citizen before the age of 18.

Every year, the Canadian government grants citizenship to lawful permanent residents in Canada. Although most Canadians are citizens by birth, Statistics Canada’s record shows that many permanent residents have become Canadian citizens by naturalization in the last two decades. Many eligible permanent residents obtain Canadian citizenship to enjoy the privileges to exercise certain important rights and responsibilities reserved for Canadian citizens only.

As stated earlier, permanent residents of Canada must meet certain criteria to be eligible for Canadian citizenship by naturalization. The criteria for obtaining citizenship via naturalization include,

• Permanent Residents (have been a law-abiding permanent resident of Canada.)
• Physical Presence in Canada (have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years.)
• Language ability (prove your language skills – English or French)
• Filing Income Tax (have filed your taxes as a permanent resident.)
• Knowledge of Test (pass a test on your rights, responsibilities, and knowledge of Canada.