Canada to soon make virtual citizenship ceremonies a reality

Canada’s federal government issued a statement lately for newcomers to Canada whose Canadian citizenship ceremonies have been postponed due to COVID-19.

The statement says that these newcomers may soon be able to take the oath of citizenship virtually.

Those for whom Canadian citizenship is absolutely the necessity of the hour will be granted citizenship via online ceremonies first.

2 months ago, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had suspended all citizenship ceremonies and tests. This was done as part of the measures implemented to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 pandemic. Postponing these events was considering the difficulty in implementation owing to the need of social distancing. But it was assured then that Canada immigration will come up with a way to conduct events like citizenship ceremonies.

The virtual ceremonies will soon be held by IRCC. It will be a milestone development in the history of immigration Canada.

The IRCC has stated that virtual citizenship will protect the integrity of the legal process, reflecting the relevance of the occasion.

The solemn oath that's taken by a person before a judge or citizenship official will make that person a Canadian citizen. The oath is the final requirement for applicants above 14 years of age wanting to become Canadian citizens.

After becoming a Canadian citizen, the person will have the same right as that of Canada-born citizens. They will have rights to:

• Cast a vote
• Travel on a Canadian passport
• Run for office
• Get preferential treatment on public service job applications

The process of making a foreigner a Canadian citizen is called “Naturalization”. In this process, the first step is to become a permanent resident of Canada. After 3 years of being present physically in Canada in the last 5 years, completing income tax returns in Canada, he/she can apply for citizenship.

The aspirant is also required to pass a test assessing their knowledge of rights and responsibilities as a citizen. The test will also prove that the candidate can speak and write in one of Canada’s official languages.

The application fee for the application process is $350 along with a “Right of Citizenship Fee” of $100. But the current Canadian government has promised to make sure that permanent residents can apply for citizenship of Canada free-of-charge.

It’s also encouraging to know that 85% of immigrants in Canada become citizens.

If you are looking to Study, Work, Visit, Invest or Migrate to Canada, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.

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