Maple News reports that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has expanded its digital application platform to allow individuals working with legal or immigration representatives to apply for Canadian citizenship online. This significant update, which took effect on November 30, marks another step in modernizing Canada’s citizenship process.
Although applicants with authorized representatives can now submit their applications through IRCC’s online portal, the process must be completed and submitted personally by the applicant. According to IRCC, representatives are not yet permitted to file applications on their client’s behalf. However, they can still offer guidance throughout the application process and communicate with IRCC once the application is submitted.
This change builds upon Canada’s broader initiative to streamline and digitize citizenship services. Since August 2021, individual applicants without representatives have been able to apply online. In recent months, IRCC also introduced the ability to submit proof of Canadian citizenship applications online — an option particularly relevant for Canadian citizens who have children born abroad and wish to pass on their citizenship.
Further updates are expected in 2024, when IRCC plans to extend online application eligibility to families, minors, representatives applying directly for their clients, and applicants who are crown servants, or accompanying their crown servant family members, while residing outside of Canada.
To be eligible for Canadian citizenship, applicants must be permanent residents and have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days within the last five years before applying. Adults between the ages of 18 and 54 must also demonstrate language proficiency in English or French at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 4 or higher, and pass a citizenship test covering Canadian history, values, and institutions. Applicants must not have a prohibited criminal history.
Once an application is approved, applicants who are required to do so must take the citizenship test and, ultimately, participate in a citizenship ceremony, where they take the Oath of Citizenship — the final step in officially becoming a Canadian citizen.
This digital rollout underlines IRCC’s ongoing commitment to making immigration and citizenship services more accessible and efficient through technology, especially as demand continues to grow among newcomers ready to make Canada their permanent home.