Eligibility
To qualify for Canadian citizenship you must be a permanent resident and have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days (three years) in the last five years. Time spent abroad still counts toward the calculation, so keep track of your days carefully. You cannot be under a removal order and your permanent resident card must be valid.
Applicants need to have filed taxes for at least three of the last five years and, if they are between 18 and 54 years old, they must demonstrate English or French proficiency equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmarks level 4. All applicants must pass a citizenship test covering Canada’s history, geography, government, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Spouses of Canadian citizens must meet the same criteria. People with serious criminal convictions are ineligible until the sentence is complete.