Bill C-6 will count 50% of students time in Canada towards requirements

A new federal law proposes changes which could make getting Canadian citizenship easier for international students. Bill C-6, An Act to Amend the Citizenship Act, was recently introduced into the House of Commons and is now before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

“The changes proposed in Bill C-6 would provide for greater flexibility for citizenship applicants to meet the requirements for citizenship and to help immigrants achieve citizenship faster,” said Faith St John, a spokesperson from the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

In the proposed Bill, international students will be able to count 50 per cent of their study time towards the physical residency requirement for citizenship, said John Porter, director of international admission and student services. The new requirements would mean that international students would only need to reside three of the last five years in the Canada.

“The news about Bill C-6 is very positive for George Brown College international students,” said Porter. “We are very supportive of the changes that the government is making as they recognize the great value and contribution that international students bring to Canadian society, culture and economy.”

If the legislation goes through, each day that an international student is in Canada could be counted as a half-day toward meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship, said St John.

Under the existing Citizenship Act, people cannot count time they spent in Canada before becoming a permanent resident towards meeting the physical presence requirement for citizenship, St John added.

Individuals applying for citizenship who benefit from the half-time credit for time spent in Canada before becoming a permanent resident, would still need to be physically present in Canada for two years as a permanent resident before being eligible for citizenship.

Separately, according to Porter, Canada’s immigration minister John McCallum has committed to a review and reform of the points-based Express Entry system, an immigration program which was launched under the former Conservative government system.

“We’re not sure what those reforms will look like going forward, but we hope, at a minimum, that the government will consider increasing the number of points given to international students for their Canadian education credential and work experience,” said Porter. Decreasing the number of points applicants gain for receiving a government-approved job-offer would be great too, said Porter, since international students often have a hard time acquiring such an offer.

The fees to apply for Permanent Residency will remain the same, under the proposed changes, according St John.

The proposed changes support the federal government’s goal of making it easier for immigrants to build successful lives in Canada, reuniting their families and contributing to the economic success of all Canadians. The time credit would also encourage skilled individuals to come to Canada to study or work, and would benefit groups like protected persons and parents and grandparents on visitors’ visas, added St John.

Bill C-6 has passed through the House of Commons and is now being discussed by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.