Citizenship
Canada is known around the world as a strong and free country. Canadians are proud of their unique identity. Canada has inherited the oldest continuous constitutional tradition in the world. We are the only constitutional monarchy in North America. Our institutions uphold a commitment to Peace, Order, and Good Government, a key phrase in Canada’s original constitutional document in 1867, the British North America Act. A belief in ordered liberty, enterprise, hard work and fair play have enabled Canadians to build a prosperous society in a rugged environment from our Atlantic shores to the Pacific Ocean and to the Arctic Circle—so much so that poets and songwriters have hailed Canada as the “Great Dominion.”
Your rights as a Canadian Citizen
- Entitled to enjoy the rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (all persons present in Canada have these rights, regardless of citizenship)
- Able to vote in political elections upon reaching the age of 18 (provided they are not absent from Canada for more than 5 years and intend to resume residency in Canada)
- Able to run for political office upon reaching the age of 18
- Able to obtain a Canadian passport
- Able to prevent risk of getting deported from Canada (if the subject born outside Canada, but is naturalized)
- ble to work for the Federal government (where citizenship is usually required/preferred).
- Allowed to live outside Canada indefinitely while retaining the right to return
- Able to sponsor your immediate family & relatives also to join you in Canada
Your responsibilities as a Canadian Citizen
All Canadian citizens have the responsibility to
- vote in elections
- help others in the community
- care for and protect our heritage and environment
- obey Canada’s laws
- express opinions freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others
- eliminate discrimination and injustice
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- You must be a Permanent Resident of Canada
- You must have resided in Canada for at least three of the last four years
- You must not have any criminal prohibitions
- You must pass the Citizenship Test and Interview
- You must show that you have adequate knowledge of English or French languages
ou cannot become a citizen if you
- Have been convicted of an indictable (criminal) offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act in the three years before you apply or a crime against humanity
- Are currently charged with an indictable offence or an offence under the Citizenship Act
- Are in prison, on parole or on probation
- Are under a removal order (have been ordered by Canadian officials to leave Canada)
- Are under investigation for, are charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime
- Have had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years