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Help Centre

What are the requirements for becoming a Canadian citizen?

To apply for Canadian citizenship as an adult, you must:

Be a permanent resident;
be 18 years of age or older;
have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the four years before the date you sign your application (time spent residing in Canada prior to acquiring permanent residence counts as a half day of residence — see residence calculator);
have an adequate knowledge of either English or French (see What is meant by “adequate knowledge of English or French”?);
have an adequate knowledge of Canada and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship;
not be under a removal order (in other words, the Government of Canada has not ordered you to leave the country);
not be a security risk;
not be criminally prohibited; and
attend a ceremony and take the oath of citizenship