Citizenship

Who Is Eligible For Canadian Citizenship?

Individuals of any age, regardless of Canadian parentage, can apply for citizenship provided they meet the general requirements below.

Citizenship by Descent

Descendents of individuals who were born in Canada or who naturalized may be Canadian citizens. Recent amendments to the Citizenship Act have broadened the definition of who is considered to be a Canadian citizen, eliminating previous barriers to many children of Canadians born abroad in the second or subsequent generation. Individuals who would be the second generation born/adopted abroad on December 15, 2025 onward will need to show that their Canadian parent had a substantial connection to Canada prior to their birth/adoption. Substantial connection is defined as having spent 1095 days in Canada.

Grant of Citizenship

To be eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship, a Permanent Resident must have resided in Canada for 3 out of the past 5 years immediately prior to their application. Of note, applicants may count days that they were present in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident as a half-day toward meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship, up to a maximum credit of 365 days (within the 5-year period)

Children under the age of 18 are not required to meet the residency requirement if they have one parent who is either a Canadian citizen or who is applying to become a Canadian citizen at the same time and has met the requirement themselves.

What Else Is Required?

In addition to the requirements above, applicants must have filed tax returns for at least three years in the five-year time frame if required to do so. Further, applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 are required to demonstrate English or French language proficiency and pass a citizenship knowledge test.