To be eligible to become a Canadian citizen, you must:

• be a permanent resident
• have lived in Canada for 3 out of the last 5 years
• have filed your taxes, if you need to
• pass a citizenship test
• prove your language skills

Citizens can vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections, run for office and become involved in political activities, meaning they have a say in who runs the various levels of government that exist in Canada. Canada does not make you choose between being a Canadian citizen and being a citizen of your home country. Depending on your home country, you may or may not have to make that choice. Some jobs require high-level security clearance, which only citizens can have. This includes some jobs at the federal level. These jobs tend to pay well and have many benefits. As a citizen, if your children are born in Canada, they automatically become Canadian citizens. They will not have to go through any application process. Some children born outside Canada are also citizens at birth, if at least one parent was born or naturalized in Canada. Canadian tax laws work on residency rather than citizenship. You can be a citizen but not live in Canada, and therefore not have to pay Canadian taxes. If you are a citizen who does live in Canada, you are required to pay Canadian taxes on worldwide income and you must pay taxes at federal, provincial and municipal levels.