The long awaited Citizenship bill has finally received Royal Assent and became law this week. Here are the main changes that may affect you or someone you know:
- To qualify for citizenship a permanent resident is required to be physically in Canada for 3 out of 5 years (the old law is 4 out of 6 years).
- The 3 year residency period can have up to one year of credit for the time the applicant resided in Canada prior to receiving permanent residence. The one year credit for residence prior to permanent residence is calculated on a 2:1 basis. Eg. to obtain 1 year of credit, you’ll need to have resided in Canada for 2 years prior to receiving permanent residence.
- The requirement for an applicant to intend to reside in Canada after obtaining citizenship has been removed.
- Language ability and citizenship tests will only be required for those applicants who are 18 to 54 years of age.
The removal of the intention to reside clause is already in place. The other clauses are set to be in effect in this fall of this year.
For more information or to book a consultation to determine how you or someone you know may qualify for citizenship, contact us at (416) 548-9101 or at inquiries@www.lmlawgroup.com.
