Bill C-71 received Royal Assent on June 19, 2024, putting Canada's revised Citizenship Act into effect in stages. The reform lowers the physical presence threshold from 1,095 days to 730 days in the five years before applying, and lets applicants count time in Canada on temporary resident status.

What does Bill C-71 change?

The bill introduces the most significant changes to Canadian citizenship law since 2015. The previous framework required 1,095 days — three of the five years immediately before the application date — of physical presence in Canada. The new rules require 730 days, or two of the five years.

The change applies to citizenship applications received on or after the effective date set by the federal government. Earlier applications continue under the 1,095-day rule, regardless of when a decision is made.

Does time as a temporary resident count now?

Applicants may now count up to 365 days of physical presence in Canada as a temporary resident toward the 730-day total. Eligible temporary statuses include:

• Study permit holders
• Work permit holders
• Visitor status holders in limited cases
• Asylum claimants whose claims were ultimately approved

Each day spent physically in Canada under valid temporary status counts toward the 365-day cap. Days beyond the cap do not count, even if the applicant held temporary status for years.

Who do the new rules cover?

The new framework affects:

• Permanent residents applying for grant of citizenship
• Protected persons applying under section 5(4) of the Act
• Stateless applicants born in Canada
• People previously refused under the old rules who re-apply under the new framework

How does the bill help 'Lost Canadians'?

Bill C-71 restores automatic citizenship to people born abroad to Canadian parents in earlier generations, addressing gaps that left some Canadians without recognized status. The bill also expands citizenship by descent for first-generation children born abroad to Canadian citizens.

This provision applies to people who lost or never acquired citizenship because of outdated rules in the Citizenship Act, including children born outside Canada to Canadian parents before a specific cutoff date.

What are the steps to apply?

1. Use the IRCC online physical presence calculator to confirm at least 730 days.
2. Gather documents: PR card, language test results, tax records, travel history, two photos.
3. Submit the application through an IRCC secure account.
4. Pay the processing fee set by IRCC for adults.
5. Complete the citizenship test and, where required, an interview with a citizenship official.
6. Attend the oath of citizenship ceremony to finalize the grant.

Where is the official source?

All eligibility determinations rest with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The Department publishes the current Citizenship Act, operational manuals, and application forms on its website at canada.ca. Processing times and fees change periodically; applicants should consult IRCC before filing.

Why does the reform matter?

The shift acknowledges that many long-term residents lived in Canada for years on work or study permits before receiving permanent residence. By counting up to 365 days of that time, Parliament shortened the path to citizenship for a large group of would-be Canadians. The reform also closed long-standing gaps for descendants of Canadians born abroad.