Are you an outlander who wished to settle in this amazing country but feared that your dream would remain a dream? Well, living in Canada is not a dream anymore; you can turn it into a reality. You just need financial support, faith in yourself, and to pass the official Canadian citizenship test that would make you a Canadian citizen. Once you’re past this phase, you can become a Canadian citizen (if you’re between 18 and 54 years old.) You will have to fulfill the five requirements that we’re going to discuss in this blog.
So, let’s move to the five crucial requirements to become a Canadian citizen:
Become A Permanent Resident
The Canadian Government has always welcomed students, immigrants, skilled workers, and oppressed families to its homeland. If you have a Canadian spouse, or if you find a job during your study time in Canada, or if you get express entry through your hard work – you become eligible for a permanent residency.
Once you provide the Canadian government proof that you have enough bank balance to support your stay in the country, your original documents and identity, educational and skill assessment tests, language tests, and your authentic academic degrees, you’re then eligible for a PR.
All you do is pay them the PR fee, and the Government will issue you a PR card that would be valid for five years.
Provide Proof Of Stay:
Now that you have earned a PR, the next step is to live in Canada for the next five years. Of course, immigrants can go back to their original countries or other places, but they must at least remain in Canada for three out of five years.
Once they spend their maximum time in Canada, the PR immigrants can easily apply for the citizenship test. It would be best if you traveled and recorded your trips outside Canada in a journal. You can then calculate the time you spent outside of the Canadian borders, which will assist you in applying for a new PR card and citizenship.
File Your Taxes:
Once you achieve your PR status in Canada, you must file your income and other taxes just like any other Canadian citizen. First, you have to tell the CRA about your income when you weren’t a Canadian resident and your income after becoming one.
Even when you are a new PR, you have to pay tax for the year. Paying your tax returns for the year in Canada will help the CRA determine if you’re eligible for GST/HST credit and if your spouse or partner can receive Canada Child Benefit.
If you aren’t earning much and have a simple tax situation, you are eligible for the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program that will assist you in filing your returns. If you are a small business owner or self-employed, you can get free in-person taxation assistance from the CRA’s Liaison Officer Service.
Canadian Governments collect tax returns yearly so that you can choose the income tax package suitable for you.
Pass Your Citizenship Test
The next step for citizenship will be to pass the Canadian citizenship test. You can give the test in English or French.
You need to go through a 20-question (MCQs and True/False) test, which will evaluate your knowledge about the country. You must have ample knowledge about Canada’s history, values, geography, national symbols, identity, climate, citizen rights and responsibilities, and much more.
You’re given 30 minutes to complete your Canadian Citizenship Test of 20 questions. You must have at least 15 answers correct to pass your test; otherwise, you’d have to retake the test with better preparations. Try to pass the test on your first or second attempt; otherwise, you might have a tough time with the citizenship judge.
Prove You’re Fluent In English Or French:
Canada has English and French as their national languages. You must be fluent in one of them at least to increase your chances of getting your Canadian citizenship. There are many ways the committee will measure your language skills.
Firstly, they will review your written application to see how well you have command over the language. Then they will talk to you and check how well you communicate with the officials.
The citizenship officials might also do a separate hearing to access your command over the language. In short, you have to meet the CLB or Canadian Language Benchmarks Level 4 or higher.
Conclusion
Canada is a beautiful country. The key to acquiring citizenship is to stay true to Canadian values and law. Try to explore all the beautiful places. See what Canada is all about and stay there as long as you can. It’s always better to learn about Canada through experience rather than books.
