Sheila Nicholas Manager

ESL and LINC ProgramsSt. George`s Centre for ESL

Upper Grand District School Board

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act:

Changes and Impacts

Before Residence for three out of four

years (1,095 days)

No requirement that resident be physically present

Time as non-permanent resident (non-PR) may be counted toward residence for citizenship

No intent to reside provision

After Requires physical presence for

four years (1,460 days) out of the six years

183 days minimum of physical presence per year in four out of six years

Eliminates use of time spent in Canada as a non-permanent resident (non-PR)

Introduces “intent to reside” provision

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Before

Adult applicants aged 18-54 must meet language requirements and pass knowledge test; upper age limit of 54 currently established by policy, not in legislation;

Applicants can meet knowledge requirement with assistance of an interpreter

After

Requires applicants aged 14 – 64 to meet language requirements and pass knowledge test

Applicants must meet knowledge requirement in English or French

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Language Competency Documentation:

• Proof of achieving Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4 in speaking and listening in a Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program

• Proof of achieving CLB 4 in listening and speaking issued by provincially-funded language training programs.

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Language Competency Documentation:

• Results of CIC-approved third party tests– IELTS (International English Language Testing System) –

General– CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index

Program) – General or General LS– Test d’Evaluation de Francais

• Proof of completion of a secondary or post- secondary program in English or French, in Canada or abroad

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Before

Bars getting citizenship from people with domestic criminal charges and convictions

After

Expands bar on getting citizenship to people with foreign criminal charges and convictions

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Before

Limited authority to define what constitutes a complete application

After

Establishes authority to define what constitutes a complete application and what evidence applicants must provide

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Before

Citizenship grant is a three-step decision-making process

After

Changes citizenship grant to a single-step process that reduces duplication and improves processing times

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act: Changes and Impacts

Before

No requirement to file Canadian income taxes to be eligible for a grant citizenship

After

Requires adult applicants to file Canadian income taxes, as required under the Income Tax Act, to be eligible for citizenship

Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act:Changes and Impacts