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Questions & Answers about citizenship
 Once
I obtain Canadian Permanent Resident status, how soon do
I become eligible to apply for Canadian Citizenship?
Do
I have to apply for Canadian Citizenship as soon as I am
eligible?
What
are some of the advantages of obtaining Canadian Citizenship?
Will
time spent in Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident
be counted towards my Citizenship application?
Will
time spent absent from Canada be counted towards my Citizenship
application?
Will
Canadian Citizenship make me eligible to work in the USA,
Mexico, or Chile?
As
a Canadian citizen, am I required to obtain a Returning
Resident Permit for absences from Canada?
Can
I have dual Citizenship?
As
a Canadian citizen, must I pay Canadian income tax on my
worldwide income?
Rights
and Obligations as a Landed Immigrant:
Q: Once I obtain Canadian
Permanent Resident status, how soon do I become eligible to
apply for Canadian Citizenship?
A: You are allowed to apply for Canadian Citizenship after you
have been physically resident in Canada for three years (1095
days) out of the four years immediately preceding your application.
Where exceptional circumstances exist, however, you may be allowed
to apply even if you have not been physically resident in Canada
for the required 1095 days.
Q: Do I have to apply
for Canadian Citizenship as soon as I am eligible?
A: No. There is no obligation to apply for Canadian Citizenship
at any time.
Q: What are some of the
advantages of obtaining Canadian Citizenship?
A: Unlike permanent residents, Canadian citizens are allowed
to be absent from Canada for extended periods of time without
any risk of losing their status. Except in rare cases, Canadian
citizens cannot be deported from Canada. Canadian citizens also
receive Canadian passports and are entitled to vote in federal
elections.
Q: Will time spent in
Canada prior to becoming a permanent resident be counted towards
my Citizenship application?
A: Time spent legally in Canada prior to becoming a permanent
resident may be counted towards the calculation of the 1095
days required to qualify for Canadian Citizenship. Within the
four years prior to applying for Canadian Citizenship, each
day spent in Canada as a non-permanent resident (i.e. as a visitor)
is counted as half a day, up to a maximum total credit of one
year. Each day spent in Canada as a permanent resident is counted
as one whole day.
Q: Will time spent absent
from Canada be counted towards my Citizenship application?
A: Unless there are exceptional circumstances, time spent outside
of Canada (other than for short vacations) will not be counted
towards the calculation of the 1095 days required to qualify
for Canadian Citizenship.
Q: Will Canadian Citizenship
make me eligible to work in the USA, Mexico, or Chile?
A: Under the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) and the Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement, qualified
Canadian citizens can benefit from facilitated admission into
the USA, Mexico and Chile for business and work-related purposes.
Q: As a Canadian citizen,
am I required to obtain a Returning Resident Permit for absences
from Canada?
A: No. Citizens of Canada are not required to obtain Returning
Resident Permits for any absence from Canada. Canadian Citizenship
cannot be lost as a result of a long or permanent absence from
Canada.
Q: Can I have dual Citizenship?
A: Since 1977, Canada has permitted its citizens to hold dual
or multi Citizenship. As a result, Canadian citizens will not
lose their Canadian Citizenship if they retain their former
nationality or become citizens of another country. If you intend
to become a Canadian citizen, you are advised to verify whether
the country of your current nationality permits dual citizenship.
Q: As a Canadian citizen,
must I pay Canadian income tax on my worldwide income?
A: Not in all cases. As a general rule you are only required
to pay Canadian income tax on worldwide income if you reside
in Canada. It is always best to consult with a specialist in
Canadian taxation for specific advice regarding any and all
Canadian taxation matters.
Q: Your Rights and Obligations
as a Landed Immigrant (Permanent Resident of Canada but without
Canadian Citizenship)
A: You and your dependents have the right to live, study and
work for as long as you remain permanent residents in Canada,
and are entitled to most social benefits accorded to Canadian
citizens. When you have met citizenship requirements, you may
apply for Canadian citizenship and a Canadian passport. There
are a few limitations on non-citizens (Permanent Residents):
- You cannot vote in certain elections.
- You may be ineligible for certain jobs requiring high-level
security clearances.
- As a permanent resident, you also have the same legal
obligations as Canadians, such as paying taxes and respecting
other laws.
- If you or your dependents commit serious crimes, you or
your dependents risk being deported from Canada.
- Your sponsor and your sponsor's co-signer (if applicable)
are responsible for providing for your essential needs and
those of your dependents for 10 years after you arrive in
Canada and for ensuring that you do not become dependent
on welfare. Under the agreement you have signed with your
sponsor and your sponsor's co-signer (if applicable), you
are committed to making every reasonable effort to provide
for your own essential needs and those of your dependents.
- You remain a permanent resident until you become a Canadian
citizen or abandon Canada as your place of residence. You
may be considered to have abandoned Canada if you have frequent
and/or lengthy absences from the country. If you travel
to Canada to present your visas for landing and then return
to live in your home country indefinitely, you will lose
your permanent resident status.
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