To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must meet the requirements in a
ll of the following areas: * Age * Permanent resident status * Time lived in Canada * Language abilities * Criminal history (prohibitions) * Knowledge of Canada Age You must be at least 18 years old to apply for Canadian citizenship. To apply for citizenship for a child under 18, make sure the following condition s are met: * the person applying is the childâ s parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian * the child is a permanent resident, but does not need to have lived in Cana da for three years and * one parent is already a Canadian citizen or is applying to become a citize n at the same time. This also applies to adoptive parents. Permanent resident status To become a Canadian citizen, you must have permanent resident status in Canada, and that status must not be in doubt. This means you must not be the subject of an immigration investigation, an immigration inquiry or a removal order (an ord er from Canadian officials to leave Canada). Time lived in Canada To become Canadian citizens, adults must have lived in Canada for at least three years (1,095 days) in the past four years before applying. Children do not need to meet this requirement. You may be able to count time you spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident if that time falls within the four-year period. Use the citizenship calculator to find out if you have lived in Canada long enou gh to apply for citizenship. Language abilities Canada has two official languagesâ English and French. You need to have adequate kn owledge of one of these two languages. You must know enough English or French to understand other people and for them to understand you. Criminal history (prohibitions) You cannot become a citizen if you: * have been convicted of an indictable (criminal) offence or an offence unde r the Citizenship Act in the three years before you apply * are currently charged with an indictable offence or an offence under the C itizenship Act * are in prison, on parole or on probation * are under a removal order (have been ordered by Canadian officials to leav e Canada) * are under investigation for, are charged with, or have been convicted of a war crime or a crime against humanity or * have had your Canadian citizenship taken away in the past five years. If you are on probation or are charged with an offence and are awaiting trial, y ou should wait until after the probation has ended or the trial is over to apply for citizenship. If you have spent time on probation, on parole or in prison in the last four yea rs, you may not meet the residence requirement for citizenship. Time in prison or on parole does not count as residence in Canada. Time on proba tion also does not count as residence in Canada if you were convicted of an offe nce. If you have spent time on probation from a conditional discharge, it may be counted toward residence. For details, contact the Call Centre. Knowledge of Canada To become a citizen, you must understand the rights and responsibilities of citi zenship, such as the right and responsibility to vote in elections. You must als o have an understanding of Canadaâ s history, values, institutions and symbols. The information you need to know is in our free study guide Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. We will send you a copy of it once we have received your application. The questions in the citizenship test are bas ed on the information in this guide.
Study in Canada FAQ
| 1. How do I obtain a Study Permit for Canada? Foreign/International Students who are not from visa exempt countries must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a Study Permit once they have r eceived an acceptance letter from a qualified Canadian academic institution. Stu dents will have to show that they have sufficient funds to study and live in Can ada, and in some cases undergo Medical Examinations and provide Police Clearance Certificates. 2. What if I want to Study in Quebec? Foreign/International Students who have been accepted into a qualifying educatio nal institution in Quebec must obtain approval from the immigration authorities of the Province of Quebec in addition to their Study Permit. 3. How long is my Study Permit valid for? A Study Permit is valid for the duration of your study program. Should you need to extend the validity of your Study Permit, you must file an Application to Cha nge the Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada with Citizenship and Immigratio n Canada. 4. Can I work while Studying in Canada? Yes, with certain conditions. Foreign/International Students holding a valid Stu dy Permit may work on the campus of their educational institution without a Work Permit. However, in order to work off the campus, they must apply to CIC for an Off-Campus Work Permit. 5. What is an Off-Campus Work Permit? An Off-Campus Work Permit allows Foreign/International Students to be employed o ff the campus of the educational institution they are attending in Canada. 6. Who is eligible for an Off-Campus Work Permit? Foreign/International Students with valid Study Permits who are registered in a participating educational institution are eligible for Off-Campus Work Permits, if they are in good academic standing at that institution. In addition, students must have been studying full-time for six months out of the year preceding thei r application for an Off-Campus Work Permit. 7. How do I know if my institution is participating in the program? A list of participating institutions can be found at the CIC website, at the fol lowing link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/study/institutions/participants.asp 8. What is satisfactory academic standing? Satisfactory Academic Standing is determined differently by each academic instit ution. Students must make sure that they meet the requirements for satisfactory academic standing at the institution they are currently studying at. 9. Who is not eligible for an Off-Campus Work Permit? Foreign/International Students who are receiving awards or scholarships from Can adaâ s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade or from the Canadian I nternational Development Agency are not eligible for an Off-Campus Work Permit. Students participating in the Canada-China Scholars Exchanges Program, in the Or ganization of American States Fellowships Program Exchange or in the Equal Oppor tunity Scholarship Program, Canada-Chile may not apply for an Off-Campus Work Pe rmit. Visiting students are also ineligible, as well as students who are registe red in English or French as a Foreign Language programs, even if they are enroll ed in participating institutions.
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