hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Proposed legislation makes major changes to Canadian citizenship
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Proposed legislation makes major changes to Canadian citizenship
Ottawa - Under a new bill, acquiring Canadian citizenship would be more difficult and take longer to become eligible to apply. The bill would also provide for the revocation of Canadian citizenship for dual nationals who take part in terrorist acts.
Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, was introduced in the House of Commons by Leona Aglukkak on behalf of Immigration Minister Chris Alexander. The bill purports to lengthen the time it takes to become a citizen of Canada, extend the time a person must be physically in the country before citizenship can be granted and make it more difficult to acquire Canadian citizenship. The proposed legislation also provides for dual nationals to be stripped of their citizenship if they are involved in terrorist activity or acts against Canada. Under the current Citizenship Act, persons must have a legal residence in Canada for three of the four years preceding their application for citizenship. The new proposals require a physical presence in Canada for four of the six years before an application can be submitted, not merely a legal one. As well, under the bill a person applying for citizenship must declare an "intent to reside" in Canada. This proposal is aimed at preventing "citizenship of convenience" whereby immigrants obtain Canadian citizenship and then reside in another country and never pay Canadian taxes. Bill C-24 does not change the Canadian citizenship of children whose pregnant mothers come to Canada for the sole purpose of giving birth and then leave the country with their Canadian-born child. Prior to being eligible for Canadian citizenship, the applicant must prove they have filed Canadian income tax returns during the time they resided in the country and their income tax payments must be up to date before citizenship can be obtained. Under existing law, persons between the ages of 18-54 must prove they are proficient in the English or French language and pass a citizenship exam before they can become citizens. This age group will be increased to cover all applicants between the ages of 14-64. No longer will those taking the citizenship exam will allowed to use interpreters. Under Bill C-24, those who have committed or are charged with serious criminal offences outside of Canada will ineligible to obtain citizenship. Under the current law, only those charged with or convicted of these crimes in Canada are prevented from obtaining citizenship. The new proposals also gives Canada a greater ability to strip dual nationals of their Canadian citizenship. Those who are members of a group that engages in terrorist activity against Canada can lose their citizenship. Also, dual nationals who has been convicted of a terrorist-related crime or treason can also be stripped of their citizenship. Penalties for citizenship fraud will be increased. Currently, the maximum punishment for such fraud is one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. These maximums will be increased to five years in prison and $100,000 fine. The bill also makes it possible for so-called "lost Canadians" to acquire citizenship. These people, mainly children of Canadian soldiers and war brides born prior to the original citizenship law being passed in 1947, will be granted citizenship. And a priority in processing will be given to applicants who have served in the Canadian military. The government is also proposing to streamline the acquisition of citizenship and reduce the backlog of applications. In speaking about Bill C-24, the Citizenship and Immigration minister said, "We want new citizens to embrace our rich culture and values and feel compelled to remain active members of Canadian society. Requiring physical presence...better supports the integration of newcomers into Canadian society, it enables prospective citizens to develop a stronger connection to Canada, it encourages their sense of belonging here and it fosters their full participation in Canadian life."
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Proposed legislation makes major changes to Canadian citizenship