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The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in its November report noted in the report that out of the more than 2.8 million permanent residents who came to Canada between 2005 and 2015, about 50% of them got citizenship by December 31, 2018.
While the statistics put forth by the report is encouraging for young & aspiring Canada PR applicants, more recent immigrants are seeing a slower citizenship rate. This is to suggest that people are taking longer to become citizens. The report also gave recommendations on how to address certain issues in the current citizenship program.
How Can A Foreigner Apply For Canadian Citizenship?
Most foreigners take the permanent residency (PR) route to become citizens of Canada. It is a two-step process in which interested applicant fulfills certain human capital requirements like:
- Young, working-age (25-33 years preferred);
- Education qualification (a graduation degree preferred);
- Work experience (at least one year of relevant experience in Canada or more than 3 years of work experience outside Canada preferred);
- Language proficiency in English or French (bilingual candidates are given additional points)
Once the applicant comes good on the above factors, they are nominated to apply for Canada PR through economic-class pathways like Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Program, or other pathways through Business Immigration, spousal privilege, graduate visas, etc.
Take this free online assessment to determine your eligibility for your suitable Canada PR programs.
How Would Citizenship Process Change In Future?
Following the findings and recommendations from IRCC’s report, we may see some changes in the citizenship process in the upcoming year:
- Improvement in the language verification process: The present tools in place for assessing language proficiency is found to be subjective. IRCC recommended creating a strategy to equip officers to validate language evidence and provide better support to assess language proficiency.
(Note: The present language assessment will remain in place. Any further changes shall be duly communicated by us. Until then, keep following our regular updates on Canada Immigration or contact our senior advisors.)
- A new approach for knowledge requirement: The present knowledge test and study guide for the citizenship test is found to be complicated. IRCC will soon streamline the process to match the actual testing standards.
- Also, the 2019 pre-poll promise of the currently elected Liberal Party to axe the Citizenship Fee is yet to be taken. It will encourage many immigrants to apply for citizenship.
- Promote active engagement in Canadian communities: It has been generally understood that immigrants who become citizens have positive integration outcomes – well-developed economic, social connections, and a sense of belonging to Canada. However, IRCC has limited mechanisms in place to influence these outcomes. We could see changes in this aspect in the future.
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