How to Become a Canadian Citizen: Requirements and Steps

Why become a Canadian citizen?

Permanent residents already have most of the rights of Canadians. Citizenship adds the rest, and it cannot expire the way PR status can if you spend too long outside Canada. As a Canadian citizen you can:

• Hold a Canadian passport, one of the strongest passports in the world for visa-free travel
• Vote and run for office in federal, provincial and local elections
• Live outside Canada for as long as you want without losing your status
• Apply for jobs that need citizenship or a high level security clearance
• Pass citizenship to children born outside Canada, under the rules described below

Canada allows dual citizenship, so you do not have to give up your current citizenship. Check the rules of your other country, because some countries do not allow it.

Canadian citizenship requirements

To apply for Canadian citizenship as an adult, you must:

How to count your 1,095 days

Physical presence is where most applications go wrong. Count carefully:

• Days as a permanent resident count as full days.
• Days in Canada before you became a PR, as a worker, student, visitor or protected person, count as half days, up to a maximum of 365 days. Only days within the 5 year window count.
• Days outside Canada do not count, even short trips. The day you leave and the day you return both count as days in Canada.
• Time in prison, on parole or on probation does not count.

Use the official IRCC physical presence calculator and keep a list of every trip with exact dates. Add a safety buffer of a few weeks above 1,095 days, because IRCC compares your list with entry and exit records.

Language requirement for citizenship

If you are 18 to 54 on the day you sign, you must prove CLB or NCLC level 4 in speaking and listening. You can use:

• Results from an IRCC approved third party test, such as CELPIP General, IELTS General Training, TEF Canada or TCF Canada
• A diploma or degree from a secondary or post-secondary program taken in English or French, in Canada or abroad
• Proof of CLB 4 from certain government funded language classes, such as LINC or CLIC

A language result you used for your PR application can often be used again for citizenship.

The Canadian citizenship test

If you are 18 to 54, you will take the citizenship test after you apply. Most people take it online.

• The test has 20 questions, in English or French, and you need 15 correct answers to pass
• Questions are based on the official study guide, Discover Canada, which is free to read and download
• Topics include Canadian history, geography, the economy, government, laws, rights and responsibilities, and symbols
• If you do not pass, you get another chance. If you still do not pass, you will be invited to an interview with a citizenship official

Citizenship fees and processing time

The right of citizenship fee is adjusted from time to time, so check the IRCC fee page on the day you pay. Processing for a grant of citizenship has recently taken around a year from application to oath. IRCC posts the current estimate online.

How to apply for Canadian citizenship

1. Check your days and taxesUse the physical presence calculator and get your tax information from the Canada Revenue Agency.
2. Gather documentsPR card or confirmation of PR, passports for the full 5 years, language proof and identity documents.
3. Apply onlineMost adults apply through the IRCC online citizenship application and pay the fees.
4. Take the testIf you are 18 to 54, you will get an invitation to take the citizenship test.
5. Interview, if neededSome applicants are asked to meet an official to check documents or residence.
6. Take the oathAttend the citizenship ceremony, online or in person, and take the Oath of Citizenship. You must be in Canada for the oath. You become a citizen once you take it.

Citizenship for children

• Children under 18 who are permanent residents can apply with a parent or on their own through a parent. They do not need to meet the physical presence, language or test requirements.
• Children born in Canada are usually Canadian citizens automatically.
• Children born outside Canada to a Canadian parent may already be citizens by descent and only need a proof of citizenship certificate.

Citizenship by descent: the new rules

Canada changed its citizenship by descent rules when Bill C-3 came into force on December 15, 2025. The old "first generation limit" stopped Canadian parents who were themselves born abroad from passing citizenship to their children born abroad. Under the new rules:

• Many people who were left out by the old first generation limit are now recognized as citizens
• For children born or adopted abroad after the new rules took effect, a Canadian parent who was also born abroad must show a substantial connection to Canada: at least 1,095 days of physical presence in Canada before the child's birth or adoption

If you think you or your children may be Canadian through a parent, apply for a proof of citizenship certificate. We can review your family history and documents to confirm.

Frequently asked questions