Canadian citizenship is granted to eligible permanent residents who meet the requirements set out in the Citizenship Act (RSC 1985, c C-29). The key requirements are: physical presence in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the 5 years before the application; meeting language proficiency obligations (for applicants aged 18 to 54); passing a citizenship knowledge test; and having filed income tax returns as required. Successful applicants take an oath of citizenship at a citizenship ceremony.

Citizenship confers rights that permanent residence does not — including the right to a Canadian passport, the right to vote in federal elections, and the right to remain in Canada indefinitely with no requirement to maintain residence.

• Citizenship Act, RSC 1985, c C-29 — the primary legislation governing Canadian citizenship
• Citizenship Regulations — the regulations made under the Citizenship Act
• IRCC: Who can apply for citizenship — canada.ca/citizenship-eligibility
• IRCC: Citizenship test — canada.ca/citizenship-test

Physical presence requirement

The applicant must have been physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) during the 5-year period immediately before the date of application. This requirement was introduced by the 2017 amendments to the Citizenship Act. Days spent in Canada as a temporary resident (visitor, worker, student) before becoming a permanent resident may count at a reduced rate — each day as a temporary resident counts as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 days credit.

Physical presence means actual presence in Canada — days outside Canada do not count toward the 1,095-day requirement. Days under a removal order or serving a sentence are not counted.

Age and the language and knowledge obligations

The Citizenship Act imposes language and knowledge test obligations based on the applicant's age on the day they sign their application:

• Ages 18 to 54: Must meet language proficiency requirements and pass the citizenship knowledge test
• Under 18: No language or knowledge test requirement
• 55 and over: No language or knowledge test requirement

Applicants outside the 18–54 band still need to meet the physical presence and income tax requirements.

Language proficiency

Applicants aged 18 to 54 must demonstrate adequate proficiency in English or French. The required level is Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 4 or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) 4 in speaking and listening. Applicants can submit approved language test results, or their language skills may be assessed during a citizenship interview if one is scheduled. Evidence of language ability can also come from completion of a secondary or post-secondary program in English or French, or from completion of a federally or provincially funded language training program.

Citizenship knowledge test

The citizenship knowledge test assesses knowledge of Canada — its history, values, institutions, and symbols. Key details:

• 20 questions, multiple choice; test duration 45 minutes
• Pass mark: 15 out of 20 (75%)
• Up to 3 attempts to pass; a third failure results in an interview with a citizenship officer
• The test can be taken in English or French
• The test is based on the official study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
• Tests can be taken online or in person at a IRCC-designated location

Income tax filing requirement

Applicants must have filed income tax returns for at least 3 of the 5 tax years within the physical presence calculation window, if they were required to file under the Income Tax Act. Applicants who were not required to file (e.g., had no income) are not penalised — but must be able to demonstrate they had no filing obligation for those years.

Oath of citizenship

Once all requirements are met and the application is approved, the applicant takes the Oath of Citizenship at a citizenship ceremony. The oath confirms allegiance to Canada and its laws. The citizenship certificate is issued after the oath is taken. For current processing times and fees, refer to the IRCC citizenship page.

For current application fees and processing times, refer to the IRCC processing times tool and the IRCC citizenship pages. Processing times and fee amounts change and should not be relied on from unofficial sources.

Citizenship can be granted or denied on the basis of prohibitions in the Citizenship Act — including serious criminality (a conviction resulting in a sentence of 4 or more years), security grounds, and fraud on the application. Permanent residents with criminal records or ongoing enforcement proceedings should obtain legal advice before applying for citizenship.

Persons who acquired citizenship by birth in Canada, or who are citizens by descent (born outside Canada to a Canadian parent), have citizenship by different mechanisms and do not need to apply through this pathway. The citizenship-by-descent rules have a one-generation limit for persons born outside Canada after April 17, 2009.