Major Changes Coming to Citizenship Act

Last week, the government introduced a bill to make significant changes to the Citizenship Act. This bill is currently being discussed in Parliament and may come into force later in the year.

Here are some of the main points of the proposed changes:  

• The amount of time required to be physically present in Canada will be reduced to 3 out of the 5 years preceding the date of the application and until the Oath is taken. Currently, this requirement is 4 out of 6 years. 
• Applicants will be able to get a half-day credit for each day spent in Canada before obtaining Permanent Residence for up to a maximum of one year towards their residency requirement.
• Applicants will no longer be required to show an intent to continue to reside in Canada after they obtain Citizenship.
• The age range for applicants that need to fulfill language and knowledge requirements will be brought back to 18-54. 
• Under last year’s amendments, dual citizens could have their Canadian citizenship revoked for certain acts against Canada’s national interest. This part of the law will be repealed.

To find out more about what the amended Citizenship Act would mean for you, or someone you know, contact us at (416) 548-9101, or at inquiries@www.lmlawgroup.com.

Sincerely,

Long Mangalji LLP