A final suite of reforms to Canada’s citizenship laws is fully in force as of June 11, 2015.
Some of the key changes include:
- An adult applicant must be physically present in Canada for at least 1,460 days (four years) during the six-year period before the date of their application. The applicant must be physically present in the country for at least 183 days in each of the four years within the qualifying period.
- Legislation now requires applicants between the age of 14 and 64 to meet basic language requirements and pass a knowledge test.
- An “Intent to reside” provision has been inserted in the law. This means that the applicant must declare their intent to reside in Canada once they become a citizen, and meet their personal income tax obligations in order to be eligible for citizenship.
New application forms are now available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website. Any application using the old forms received after June 10, 2015 will be returned to the applicant. Note that the application fee has gone up to $300.
