Physical presence requirement for Canada Citizenship

It is mandated upon every citizenship applicant that they must have physically resided in Canada for at least 1,095 days during the previous five years in order to be eligible to apply for citizenship. But while calculating days it is important to keep in mind that not every day is equal when it comes to eligibility for Canadian citizenship.

Days are only considered "complete days" by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) if you were physically present in Canada as a permanent resident. To satisfy the physical presence criterion, you must have been a permanent resident of Canada for at least two years.

Up to 365 days, each day you spend living in Canada temporarily counts as one half day. It takes two years to attain this maximum because each day is only worth half. Although it is not necessary to live in Canada as a temporary resident for the duration of the citizenship process, it is crucial to understand that this time counts for just half of the physical presence requirement.

For Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PARA) applicants or refugee claimants, if you were given a work or study permit, it will not entitle you to temporary resident status. As a result, you are unable to include this time in your computation of physical presence.

The only period of time you may claim as a protected person is the period beginning with the day your claim or PRRA application was approved and ending on the day before you became a permanent residence. Half of each day you spend in Canada following approval but prior to obtaining permanent residency counts toward your citizenship application.

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Other Eligibility for Canadian Citizenship 

Here are some additional requirements for Canadian citizenship eligibility in addition to the need of physical presence:

• To function in Canadian society, you must be able to converse in either English or French with proficiency. You must provide documentation of your language ability if you are between the ages of 18 and 54.
• According to IRCC's ruling, you cannot have a criminal record that prevents you from receiving citizenship.
• You must be aware of your civic duties and possess a foundational understanding of Canada's geography, political structure, and history.
• In the five years prior to the application deadline, you might be required to submit taxes in Canada for at least three of those years.
• Additionally, you must submit a formal application to the IRCC and pay the right of citizenship charge as well as a government processing cost.

You can submit an application for citizenship in Canada once you've satisfied the above requirements along with the physical presence requirement. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 will then need to take a citizenship exam after being accepted. After that, you must take the Oath of Citizenship, attend a citizenship ceremony, and get a certificate of Canadian citizenship. Only then you formally get a Canadian citizenship.