New set of changes to the Citizenship Act
Ottawa, October 11, 2017— As announced by Minister Hussen on October 4, 2017, new legislative changes to the Citizenship Act through Bill C-6 are now in effect.
As of today, permanent residents applying for Canadian citizenship
- must be physically present in Canada for three out of the last five years (1095 days), with no minimum number of days per year, before applying
- will be able to count each day they were physically present in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person as a half day towards meeting their physical presence requirements, up to a maximum of 365 days, within five years of applying
- will need to meet language and knowledge requirements if they are 18 to 54 years of age
- must file Canadian income taxes, if required to do so under the Income Tax Act, for three out of five years before applying
These changes will give newcomers to Canada more flexibility to meet the requirements for Canadian citizenship.
For more information on the changes made to the Citizenship Act, please read the Bill C-6 Backgrounder.
The online applications for citizenship have been updated and are available for permanent residents to apply under these new amendments. Visit how to apply for Canadian citizenship to access the latest information.