Chapter 2 of 12

Applying for Citizenship

How the application runs from start to finish: the requirements, the test, the decision and the ceremony.

16 facts in 4 parts · covers Applying for Citizenship

An applicant must be a permanent resident of Canada, must not have lost permanent resident status and must not be subject to a removal order.
Applicants must meet a physical presence requirement, which sets how much time they must have spent in Canada within the eligibility period before applying.
Applicants aged 18 to 54 must show adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, and adequate knowledge of English or French; applicants 55 and over do not have to write the test.
Applicants may have to have filed Canadian income tax for a set number of years within the eligibility period, if they were required to file.
A person subject to a prohibition, such as certain criminal or security findings, cannot be granted citizenship even if the other requirements are met.

Citizenship officials check the applicant's status, look for prohibitions and confirm that the requirements are met.
The guide advises applicants to keep IRCC informed of their correct address, because the notices that matter are sent by mail.
An application takes time to process and processing is not automatic: IRCC may ask for more information, and it publishes current processing times on its website.
A file can be refused, so an application is a decision by officials rather than a formality once the documents are filed.

The citizenship test is taken online, in person or through Microsoft Teams, as IRCC instructs, and some applicants are also asked to an interview or hearing.
The test questions come from subject areas listed in the Citizenship Regulations, and the study information for those subjects is Discover Canada.
The test assesses knowledge of Canada and of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; language ability is assessed separately from the test.
IRCC states that the only official study guide is Discover Canada, and that preparing with anything else is done at the learner's own risk.

A successful applicant receives a notice giving the date, time and place of a citizenship ceremony.
At the ceremony the new citizen takes the oath, signs the oath form and is given a citizenship certificate.
The guide suggests studying in a group and taking language classes, and points to schools, colleges, community centres and immigrant-serving organisations that offer help.

What has changed in the guide

The number of days of physical presence, the age range for the test, the fees and the published processing times are set by regulation and have changed before. Treat any figure you see quoted as needing a check against IRCC. Check the source ↗