Is becoming a Canadian citizen harder than it looks or people just don't want to do it?
Posted by BurstHearts@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 21 comments
If everything goes right i want to go for Citizenship since my country allows for dual citizenship. But looking at posts i see people that claim that have 6, 7 even 10 years and still under PR. I wonder if there's a reason for that since the website says you only need 3 to be able to apply.
rodiy2k@reddit
Not everyone wants or needs to have dual citizenship. I am 25 years on PR married to a Canadian citizen. Although under the current change to rss it
Ok_Analysis6408@reddit
Y’all are so dramatic.
unicorn_onion@reddit
It's not dramatic, it's having basic thinking and survival skills. Would you call those who left 30's Germany dramatic?
Modullah@reddit
You talking about the USA? Jk 😂😋
Victorasaurus-Rex@reddit
I uh... I think that's exactly what they're talking about.
Gilgamesh-Enkidu@reddit
It’s the PR that requires qualifications and different routes. Citizenship you just apply after having a PR for 5 years, and living for 3 out of them in Canada.
There is no “qualification route” it’s just filling out paperwork, making sure you fulfilled the residency requirement that I just mentioned and making sure you didn’t commit any crimes. It doesn’t matter what your PR was through (spousal or something else) everyone fills out the same citizenship forms.
Mirabeaux1789@reddit
It’s 3 out of the 5 years prior to one’s citizenship application
greatwhitenorth2022@reddit
It is much easier to apply for and obtain Canadian citizenship as a Permanent Resident than it is to obtain Permanent Residency in the first place.
Odd-Appeal6543@reddit
Most definitely
Odd-Appeal6543@reddit
The actual process is extremely easy. There's only a few steps on the application form. It comes down to time in country (1,095 days min), speaking English/French and proving it, not having violated any immigration rule. That's basically it.
Then, passing the multiple choice citizenship test when you're invited, and taking the oath.
I think most people that have been here a long time are mostly just procrastinating. They already have PR which is basically identical except from being able to vote and travel elsewhere, and they don't feel an urgency.
GCitizenSolutions@reddit
The pathway to Canadian citizenship involves multiple pieces, and minor delays at any step can really add up. Here’s what really matters:
- You must be physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) within the last five years as a permanent resident.
- You also need to file income taxes for at least three of those five years before applying.
- On top of that, applicants aged 18–54 must pass a citizenship test, demonstrate English or French proficiency, and attend a ceremony to take the Oath of Citizenship.
Delays often occur due to miscalculating presence days (days spent as a visitor or on temporary permits count only half), incomplete tax records, language or test prep setbacks, or application processing backlogs, especially within IRCC’s current climate. That’s why some people spend 6 or even 10 years before becoming citizens.
If you're looking for a clear, breakdown of the full requirements, timelines, and how each piece fits together, this guide is a solid resource: https://beglobal.link/uyJAh
expats-ModTeam@reddit
Thank you for your submission; however, we do not allow advertising in this subreddit.
Shawnino@reddit
There are fees to the citizenship process.
Other than that? You get to vote, but you're also subject to Jury Duty.
If people already have a good passport, they may not feel the need to pay the fees.
If they don't have a good passport, they tend to apply.
BrokilonDryad@reddit
I don’t really have anything to add to this, but my Nana was from the UK. It was only after she died that we realized she never got Canadian citizenship. She lived there for like 60 years, raised a family, the whole shebang lol
Pale-Candidate8860@reddit
If you're from a country that only allows 1 citizenship, a lot of people do not want to give up their home nationality.
However, there are a lot of people that are British, American, Australian, etc. that can get Canadian citizenship, but choose not to. Saying things like, "I just don't see the point." Despite living in Canada for 20+ years in some cases. Usually just amounts to laziness and lack of respect for where they live(assuming they are allowed dual nationality).
bcwaale@reddit
Some people choose to remain a Canadian PR and retain their other citizenship especially when their other country of citizenship does not allow/recognize dual citizenship.
This is even easier if their spouse is a Canadian citizen, so they can retain their PR even when not residing in Canada.
googi14@reddit
Unless you have heritage or marry in, you need to get a job offer. It’s almost impossible
BurstHearts@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah, i get you need that before applying. I know how the path legally works, i am just wondering how it actually goes. If people straight up decide not to get the citizenship, if there's many denials or if they simply can't for some other reason.
cmcdonal2001@reddit
I went the spousal sponsorship route which is likely the easiest so your mileageay vary, but I still found the PR process far more difficult than getting citizenship. Getting the PR required lots more paperwork, background checking, fingerprinting, relationship verification, etc. Once the PR was processed and finalized, getting my citizenship was very easy by comparison aside from the 3 year residency requirement
A handful of forms that I filled out on my own in about an hour, met the residency and tax requirements just by living my life, kept my nose clean, and a few hundred bucks later I was a citizen.
H34thcliff@reddit
I think it depends on the route you take. If you are well qualified/educated, my understanding is that Canada makes it fairly easy to become a citizen.
My wife got hers through our marriage but she's also highly educated, which I think helped the process for her as she was able to get a visa at first to establish herself in the country, etc.
rvgirl@reddit
I would follow the Canadian guidelines as per the Canadian government website as it's accurate. You can also ask a Canadian consulate your questions. Prime Minister Mark Carney is also a good person to follow as he is currently updating citizens and immigrants.