Who can apply
To become a Canadian citizen, most applicants must
- be a permanent resident
- have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years (1,095 days)
- have filed your taxes, if you need to
- pass a citizenship test
- prove your language skills in English or French
Spouses of Canadian citizens
- You don’t automatically become a citizen when you marry a Canadian.
- If you’re the spouse of a Canadian citizen, you must meet the same requirements listed above (no exception).
- Children and grandchildren of Canadian citizens
- If you have a Canadian parent or grandparent, you may be a Canadian citizen.
Permanent resident status:
Regardless of your age, if you’re applying for citizenship, you must have permanent resident (PR) status in Canada.
This means you must not:
- be under review for immigration or fraud reasons
- be asked by Canadian officials to leave Canada (removal order)
- have unfulfilled conditions related to your PR status, for example: medical screening
Prohibitions
- If you committed a crime in or outside Canada
- you may not be eligible to become a Canadian citizen for a period of time
- time spent serving a term of imprisonment, on parole, or on probation doesn’t count as time you’ve lived in Canada
