One of the requirements for becoming a Canadian citizen is to have lived in Canada for three of the previous five years. In addition, you must have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days in the five years preceding your application for citizenship if you are 18 or older, among other requirements.

Keep in mind that you must have been a permanent resident for at least two years in order to meet the physical presence requirement when calculating your citizenship eligibility. In addition, after becoming a permanent resident, each day you spend in Canada counts as one full day toward your citizenship application.

Each day you spent physically in Canada as a temporary resident prior to becoming a permanent resident counts as half a day, up to a maximum of 365 days. As a result, if you were a temporary resident who did not leave Canada for three years, your stay would be counted for only 365 days. 

Again, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) consider only the five years immediately preceding the date of your application for the physical presence requirement. Your time as a temporary resident, for example, does not count if you have been physically present in Canada as a permanent resident for the past five years. If you were not a temporary resident prior to obtaining permanent residence, you must have spent at least 1,095 days or three years in Canada. 

Also Read: Check your immigration eligibility

Other requirements for Canadian citizenship

Other requirements for Canadian citizenship, in addition to physical presence, include the following:

  • To communicate in Canadian society, you must be fluent in either English or French. You must provide proof of language proficiency if you are between the ages of 18 and 54.
  • You cannot have a criminal record that prevents you from obtaining citizenship, according to IRCC.
  • You must understand citizens’ rights and responsibilities, as well as the geography, political system, and history of Canada.
  • You may be required to file taxes in Canada for at least three years prior to the application date.
  • You must also submit a formal application to IRCC and pay a government processing fee and citizenship fee.

You can apply for Canadian citizenship if you meet the eligibility requirements. Following approval, applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 will be required to take a citizenship test. Then you must attend a citizenship ceremony, receive your Canadian citizenship certificate, and take the Oath of Citizenship. After that, you will be a Canadian citizen.

Calculator of Physical Presence

You can use a calculator to determine your physical presence in Canada. This calculator will tell you whether you are eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship and, if not, when you will be able to apply.

Refugee claimants and Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) applicants 

If you are in Canada under the supervision of a study visa, a refugee claim, or a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, you cannot be a Temporary Resident in Canada with these documents, and you cannot use this time duration to calculate your physical presence in Canada.

If you are claiming time as a protected person, you can only claim time from the day you received a positive decision on your claim or PRRA application until the day you became a permanent resident. The days you spend in Canada following approval but prior to permanent residency count as half a day toward your citizenship application.

If you were imprisoned in Canada

If you spent time in prison, on probation, or on parole in Canada, those days are usually not counted toward your physical presence. There are a couple of exceptions. If you did not breach parole or fail to comply with the conditions of parole, your time on probation as a result of a conditional discharge might count towards physical presence. 

In addition, time spent in prison or on probation does not have to be declared if you received a youth sentence and completed it successfully. If you served a sentence for an offense in Canada more than five years before the date of your application, you do not have to declare it because it falls outside of the period considered by IRCC for the physical presence requirement.