Further Changes to Citizenship Act to Take Effect
October 4, 2017
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Executive Summary
On October 11, 2017, additional changes to the Citizenship Act will go into effect including:
- The residency requirement for citizenship eligibility will be reduced to three out of five years;
- Credit will be given for time spent in Canada as a temporary resident (up to 365 days) prior to becoming a permanent resident; and
- Only applicants between 18 and 54 years of age will be required to meet the language and knowledge requirements for citizenship.
The situation
Additional changes to the Citizenship Act will go into effect October 11, 2017.
Changes to the Citizenship Act
On October 11, 2017 the following changes will go into effect:
- The residency requirement for citizenship eligibility will be reduced to three out of five years. Previously, physical presence was required for four out of six years.
- Credit will be given for time spent in Canada as a temporary resident (up to 365 days) prior to becoming a permanent resident.
- Only applicants between 18 and 54 years of age will be required to meet the language and knowledge requirements for citizenship. Previously, applicants between 14 and 64 years of age had to meet the language and knowledge requirements.
Background
Prior changes to the Citizenship Act took effect on June 19, 2017.
Future changes
The following changes are expected to take effect later this year and in 2018:
- Individuals who lost their citizenship on the grounds that it was obtained fraudulently will be granted the right to appeal the decision in Federal Court; and
- Permission for Citizenship Officers under the Citizenship Act to seize fraudulent or suspected fraudulent documents.
What this means for foreign nationals and permanent residents
Foreign nationals and permanent residents should be aware of the effects the changes to the Citizenship Act could have on their ability to apply for citizenship.
Fragomen is monitoring the Citizenship Act for further upcoming changes and will report updates when they are available.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
