Canada will move to virtual citizenship ceremonies sometime in the near future as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most citizenship appointments have been cancelled for over two months due to the global pandemic and social distancing rules. Only emergency citizenship ceremonies for essential workers and those who required it for employment.
Many permanent residents in Canada strive for citizenship so they can vote, obtain access to a Canadian passport or immigration sponsorship capabilities. All of this has been put on hold as Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada (IRCC) balances the safety of its workers and the public versus the delay and backlog of existing and new applications.
Taking the Oath of Citizenship is the last step to obtain Canadian Citizenship. Anyone 14 years old or over must go to the citizenship ceremony and take the oath. For those under 14 years old, parents will receive a certificate of citizenship for their child. You must first take the citizenship test and if you pass, you will receive a notice with the date, time and location of your ceremony approximately 1-2 weeks before.
During your ceremony, applicants will:
- Swear or affirm the Oath of Citizenship
- Receive citizenship certificate
- Sign the Oath or Affirmation of Citizenship form
- Sing the national anthem, O Canada
Once the oath is taken, Canadian citizenship is granted.
