Applying for Citizenship - Time Prior To Landing

[ForumUser]

Hi there,

I understand that one of the requirement to apply for Canadian Citizenship is to show that I have lived in Canada as a PR for at least 3 years out of the 5 years before I apply.

I would like to find out if the years I spent here in Canada completing my undergraduate degree (prior to landing) could also count toward the time requirement.

I hope to hear back from you at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for your time.

[SettlementOrgMod]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

We can appreciate that you would be interested in this type of information.

You can find some detailed information on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website in the Find out if you’re eligible — Citizenship section.

Here is an excerpt,

Time you have lived in Canada

You may be able to use some of your time spent in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person towards your physical presence calculation. Each day spent physically in Canada as a temporary resident or protected person before becoming a permanent resident within the last 5 years will count as one half day, with a maximum of 365 days, towards your physical presence.

Temporary resident status includes lawful authorization to enter or remain in Canada as a:

-visitor,
-student,
-worker or,
-temporary resident permit holder

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

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Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CIRS
Settlement.Org