Authored by Deanna Proach in Legal
Published on 06-20-2009
If you are looking to move to a country that is clean and not over crowded with people, then Canada is the place for you. Canada may be a small nation of people that resides in a huge landmass extending from sea to sea, but it is a friendly and culturally diverse country. There are also many places within Canada that boast breathtaking geological features. Such places include British Columbia, Niagara Falls in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
If you are planning to move to Canada and become a Canadian citizen, there are a number of things you should consider first before you apply for citizenship. Since English and French are the official languages of the nation, you must be proficient in one of these languages or both. In some provinces, like British Columbia and Alberta, French is not mandatory. However in Ontario and, especially Quebec, proficiency in the French language is a must.
There are some other things you should learn before applying for Canadian citizenship. You must know some things about Canadian history and geography. Every Province has its own unique history that residents are required to learn. In other words, if you are planning to move to Vancouver, you should learn about the history of British Columbia. At the same time, you will be required to know key important facts about Canada’s national history. More importantly, you will need to know about the Canadian political system and the responsibilities of Canadian Citizens, such as the responsibility to vote.
To apply for Canadian citizenship you must have resided in Canada for at least four years. To find out information on how you can apply for Canadian citizenship, you can contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Call Center or can visit their website. The CIC will also be able to calculate the time you have been living in Canada and will let you know the exact date when you can apply for citizenship. After your application is carefully reviewed the Canadian government will send you a letter of acknowledgement and a free copy of the A Look at Canada magazine. You will be required to study the magazine and learn a number of facts about Canada. Most, if not all questions, on the Canadian Citizenship test will cover topics from this magazine.
Parents, adoptive parents and legal guardians are able to apply for citizenship on behalf of their children as long as their children are under the age of eighteen. One parent must either be a permanent Canadian citizen or an immigrant applying to become a Canadian citizen while he or she applies on behalf of his or her child. To become citizens of Canada, children are not required to have resided in Canada four years prior to their date of application. Young children are also not required to take the citizenship test.
