Citizenship
The following is general information, not intended to be legal advice and is subject to change based on any number of factors including but not limited to changes in government regulations. You are strongly advised to consult with Human Resources on the particulars of your case and circumstances.
To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, individuals must meet the following criteria:
- be a permanent resident
- have lived in Canada as a permanent resident for 3 out of the last 5 years
- have filed their income taxes, if required by the Income Tax Act (external link)
- pass a test on their rights, responsibilities and knowledge of Canada
- prove their language skills
Tips and suggestions
- Are you a citizen of another country? Check with your country of citizenship if you are allowed to be a dual citizen;
- Use the IRCC Physical Presence Calculator (external link) to check if you have met residential requirements to apply for citizenship;
- Record your trips outside of Canada and keep a Travel Journal (external link)
- Review the following information on how to become a Canadian citizen (external link) including the application package.
FAQ
If you would like to hire a representative (external link) to assist with your citizenship application, TMU can provide referrals from its roster of immigration lawyers whose services will be paid at your own expense.
If you would like to apply on your own, please visit the Human Resources page for more information.
Canada does accept dual citizenship and you do not have to give up your other citizenships. However, if you hold other nationalities you may want to check with their immigration authorities to make sure that you are allowed to have another citizenship without renouncing your original citizenship.
To learn more about dual citizenship and travelling as a dual citizenship, please visit the Immigration and Citizenship Help Centre (external link) website.
Applying for Canadian citizenship is not mandatory.
Your permanent resident status allows you to work in Canada just as other Canadians.
However, to keep your permanent resident status, you must be in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years.
If you do not meet these requirements you may lose your PR status. This is important to remember if you are planning your sabbatical leave.
To be eligible to apply for a Canadian citizenship you must be a permanent resident and demonstrate that you have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years.
You may be able to use some of your time spent in Canada as a temporary resident, for example worker or student, towards your citizenship eligibility period.
This Physical Presence Calculator (external link) will help you to determine whether you meet the criteria.
The time you spent outside of Canada as a Toronto Metropolitan University employee does not count towards your physical presence requirement, except in some cases when you lived outside Canada with your Canadian spouse or common-law partner who was employed in or with the:
- Canadian Armed Forces
- federal public administration
- public service of a province or territory
It is not necessary to take a language test for your citizenship application.
However, if you are between 18 and 54 years of age you must submit proof that demonstrates adequate knowledge of English or French, including a degree, diploma, certificate or official transcripts from a secondary or post-secondary education program showing you studied in English or French, in Canada or abroad.
Help Centre (external link) : Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Canada