Canadian citizenship Act was enacted in June, 2014, but majority of such act came into enforce on June 11, 2015. Some of major highlights are as follows:
1. Residency requirement can only be met by physical residency;
2. Any physical residency in Canada before receiving permanent residency does not count – the time spent as a study permit holder or work permit holder;
3. 183-days per year for at least four years in six qualifying years must be shown – in other words, if you receive your permanent residency after July 2 of the given year you cannot count that years as such qualifying year;
4. Applicants between 14 and 64 years old must take knowledge test and language test – for a family of 4, there may be an incident that a teenager of 15 may not be able to get his own citizenship even if both parents obtain theirs;
5. Applicants must file income tax for at least 4 or more years, even if they have no income, like a staying-home spouse.; and more.
It is important to review your eligibility carefully before applying for your citizenship, AND to plan your 2 years after your filing of your application to demonstrate your intention to reside in Canada.
If you have any individual questions or concerns, please contact our office for more customized consultation for your unique situation. Please note that this posting is for general information only and is not to be considered binding or official legal counsel since situations will vary and can be complicated. The content in this post is current as of the day of entry. Due to the changing nature of Immigration law, the information in this entry may or may not still be applicable.