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What is meant by adequate knowledge of English or French?
In order to become a Canadian citizen, you must have an adequate knowledge of English or French, Canada’s two official languages. Adequate knowledge of English or French means the ability to speak one of Canada’s official languages well enough to communicate with people. An applicant must know enough English or French to understand other people and for others to understand them.
If you are an adult (between ages 18-54) applying for citizenship, you will need to provide documents proving your ability to speak and listen in English or French. These documents may be:
- the results of a CIC-approved third-party test; or
- evidence of completion of secondary or post-secondary education in English or French, in Canada or abroad; or
- evidence of achieving CLB/NCLC 4 or higher in certain government-funded language training programs.
You can also consult the Do you have acceptable documents for the citizenship language requirement? flowchart.
This new requirement does not change other ways used by CIC to see how well you can communicate in English or French. For example, CIC staff will continue to observe:
- your ability to understand basic spoken statements and questions, and
- your ability to communicate basic information or respond to questions.
As part of your interaction with departmental staff or in your interview with a citizenship judge, you will be expected to:
- answer simple questions on familiar topics, using short sentences;
- show that you know enough words for basic everyday communication;
- tell a simple story about everyday activities;
- speak about something you did in the past (or will do in the future);
- give simple everyday instructions and directions; and
- express satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
A citizenship judge is the final decision-maker on all citizenship applications, including if you have adequate knowledge of an official language.
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