What are the residency requirements for Canadian Citizenship?
Categories: Citizenship
To apply for Canadian Citizenship, you must have lived in Canada as a Permanent Resident for at least three of the last four years. This is equal to 1,095 days, up to the day you make your application.
You must also meet the other requirements, such as being at least 18 years old and being able to communicate in English or French. You must also pass the citizenship test.
Applicants under 18 years old who are permanent residents through their dependency on other family members do not have to meet the 3 year requirement.
Time in Canada on other visas
Generally, if you have been in Canada legally on a non-permanent visa, such as a Work Permit, you may be able to count half of your time spent in Canada towards your 3 year requirement. However, this time will only be valid if the time you spent in Canada took place during the last 4 years.
This is especially common for students who being their stay in Canada on student visas, but who later switch to Permanent Residence.
To find out if you qualify, you can use the Canadian Citizenship Residence Calculator from CIC. The calculator will tell you if you meet the residence requirements, or when you will meet them if you are are not currently eligible.
You can also contact the CIC call centre for more information.
More Information
Applying for Canadian Citizenship - from CIC
How to Become a Canadian Citizen - from CIC
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