It is not yet known exactly when, but the Canadian government is set to increase the time a permanent resident must spend in Canada before applying for Canada citizenship. Currently, permanent residents must be present in Canada for three (3) out of four (4) years in order to qualify for Canadian citizenship. Changes to the Citizenship Act will include a one (1) year increase to the rule. This means permanent residents will have to spend four (4) years out of five (5) in Canada to qualify. While we believe this to be the case, the Canadian government has not confirmed.
The goal is to make sure that permanent residents can establish and show their commitment to Canada and ensure that fraud is reduced or eliminated. Changes would also include the reduction of processing times, which have nearly doubled since 2008, and are currently between 25 to 35 months.
The demand for Canada citizenship has grown drastically and continues to grow as more and more immigrate to Canada through work, studies or family sponsorship.
We will continue to follow the progress on these changes and will update our website as the information becomes more clear.
If you have already spent three (3) years in Canada as a permanent resident within the last four (4) years, we strongly urge you to submit your application as soon as possible. If you require assistance in submitting your application or determining whether you qualify to apply for Canadian citizenship contact our office to speak with a consultant today.
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