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Becoming Canadian
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Naturalization—acquiring citizenship—may be the final step of a newcomer’s migration and a declaration of commitment to Canada. Citizenship grants people the right to vote, hold public office, be employed in the public service and carry a Canadian passport.
Most people residing in Canada are Canadian citizens—81% by birth and 14% by naturalization. The remaining 5% are not eligible, are eligible but have not taken the steps to naturalize, or are not permanent residents. According to the 2001 Census, 84% of all eligible immigrants—those who have resided in Canada for at least three years—are Canadian citizens.
Refugees and people from developing countries or from countries with political, economic or social systems different from ours, such as some in Asia and Africa, are most likely to naturalize. In 2001, 93% of immigrants from Vietnam and 89% from the People’s Republic of China who were eligible had become Canadians. More than 80% of the newcomers from Africa, in Canada for more than five years, had done so. The longer newcomers stay, no matter where they come from, the more likely they are to become Canadian citizens.
Younger immigrants are more likely to take up citizenship than older immigrants. About 85% of those under 20 at the time of entry become citizens, versus only 72% of those aged 70 and older.
Factors influencing a newcomer’s decision to naturalize include expected length of stay, dual citizenship rules, attachment to the home country and to Canada, the source country’s tax laws and rules on asset transfers, as well as the time, cost and knowledge required to become a citizen.
