Become a Canadian in COVID-19 Days

[danielalexander]

Hello everyone,

I'm more comfortable writing in English than French, forgive me about that.
I've been considering moving to Canada for a long time and want to become a Canadian citizen.
Last January I decided to start testing the types of visas and contacted agencies to help me with the issue, but Coronavirus started in the world, affecting both France and Canada.
Do you know of any changes in the issue of immigration to Canada following the epidemic?

Thanks, Daniel

[Raphael]

Hi Daniel !

No worries with English, it's fine

You should read this following link which shall give you much informations about the current situation : Special measures to help temporary and permanent residents and applicants affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID 19) - Canada.ca !

I hope it will help you, be safe !

[danielalexander]

Raphael - Thanks for your answer!
I understand there will be delays if I want to start an application process to become a Canadian citizen.
Do you think as a result of this link I should postpone the application for later? Or should I start the process anyway?
I want to get a visa for work and residence in Canada. Anyway, does anyone know how long such a process lasts?

Thanks again.

[Marie]

Raphael - Thanks for your answer!
I understand there will be delays if I want to start an application process to become a Canadian citizen.
Do you think as a result of this link I should postpone the application for later? Or should I start the process anyway?
I want to get a visa for work and residence in Canada. Anyway, does anyone know how long such a process lasts?

Thanks again.

Hello Daniel,

Ok, so I understand you never had a work permit to work in Canada, right ?

How long does it takes to become a citizen ? Few years at least...

First, you need to qualify for permanent residency. Getting PR depends on where you want to live in Canada, your work experience, your language skills, your education, whether you have an employment offer or not, and many other things.

Some PR programs are based on the experience you get while working temporarily in Canada with a Work Permit or while studying in Canada. Other are strictly based on your experience obtained overseas.

Depending on the PR program, you may need between maybe 6 months and 2,5/3 years to obtain PR in Canada (asserting you are eligible to apply for it). Then, you will need to live permanently in Canada for at least 3 years ito apply for citizenship.

If you intend to get PR with a employment offer (or at least get a temporary work permit with it), looking for a job right now might not be the good move. Many people are getting laid off as the economy is kind of crashing right now. So job opportunities might become scarce in the next few months. Or course, it depends on the industry you specialize in.