Canada is one of the wealthiest countries to live in. Along with free healthcare, you can also enjoy lower taxes which mean you get to keep most of your salary after getting paid. Unemployment rate in Canada is at an all time low. It is no wonder that so many people are choosing to emigrate from their countries to Canada.
Many people move here for a year or so on a work visa but end up deciding to stay long term. Some settle down and get married. Some end up getting into long-term relationships and have children. Some just come here to study.
What are the requirements to be eligible for application?
It is quite tough to get Canadian citizenship as there are a lot of requirements before being able to even apply. Some of the requirements are as follows:
- It is a requirement to be a permanent resident, which means you cannot be living anywhere else. Your address should be in Canada and no other country.
- You must be living permanently here for the last 3 years or more. This means that you should not have left the country during this time and spent 1,095 days as a permanent resident living in Canada.
- Once you are working part time or full time, you need to file your taxes. This is a necessity to show that you have been abiding by the rules of this country, and legally working here.
- You must take a citizenship test and be able to pass it.
- You must also be able to show that you can speak English or French. A test will have to be done to show your skills.
What is a citizenship test?
This test only applies to people aged between 18 and 54 years old. Minors under the age of 18 and people over the age of 55 do not need to take this test. The test itself has about twenty questions which will test the person’s knowledge on Canada.
These questions will cover history, geography, laws, economy, and much more. There are sites where you can practice these questions. Apart from this, there is also a booklet which will go over some of the questions asked. Once you know all of these, you should be fine in passing the test.
What is the application process?
The first step is to get the application package. It needs to be filled out fully including all necessary documents. Along with this, an application fee of $630 will apply for adults and $100 for minors. Once all this is done, the application needs to be returned to the specified address.
How long is the application process?
Normally, the application process takes around 12 months to complete. You will receive a letter confirming that the application process has begun. You can always check on your application and make amendments online if needs be. During this time, it is advised that you practice for the test and prepare for the interview.
What happens if a child is born in Canada, but the parents are not Canadian?
Canada and the US are the few countries that still allow non-Canadian parents to birth a baby here. This baby will then receive automatic citizenship as they are born there. The parents may then return to their home country with the baby. Birth tourism is not illegal in this country.
In these cases, the child may then return freely to Canada for studies or work when they are older. Once citizenship is received like this, it does not get taken away. It also applies to parents residing in Canada for a number of years without having citizenship themselves. They can apply for one after their child is born if they wish to keep living there.
What benefits does the child have after receiving citizenship?
The child will have the freedom to travel to and from Canada whenever they want, without a visa. This can be from any country in the world. They will also receive free healthcare and free education as they are a citizen. They will automatically be able to avail of any benefits a Canadian has.
Will the parents be granted citizenship automatically if they are non-Canadian?
The short answer is no. Unfortunately, there are no benefits for foreign parents. They have to go through the application process and be eligible to apply for citizenship. If they were part of birth tourism, they will not be able to apply for this until they reside in the country for a minimum of 3 years. Some parents cannot afford $630 each for the application fees either, hence why they move back to their own country.
In most cases, they would have to have a work visa and move over to start their lives there. They would have to reside permanently at the same address for the 3 years before being able to start the application process. Because the process is so long and tough to get, most would just move back home. Once the baby reaches the age of 18, they can move back to Canada to study and continue to their lives there.
Because there are no laws against birthing babies in Canada for foreigners, a lot of families would travel here to do just that so that their children would have a better future.
The fail rate of the test is very low as most people pass the twenty questions, especially when they prepare for the 12 months while their application is being processed. There are a lot of online sources to help in the preparation.
The process of the application is long and can take up to 12 months, but if you meet the requirements, there should be no issue with the application being approved.
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