The administrative body that consists of all citizenship judges working across Canada.

A person who provides support, advice or help, for a fee or other consideration, to someone who wants to immigrate to Canada or obtain Canadian citizenship. Canada’s citizenship and immigration laws define representatives and the terms of their services. This person does not work for the Canadian government.

See Authorized representative.

The final step in becoming a Canadian citizen. During the citizenship ceremony, candidates for citizenship aged 14 and over must take the oath of citizenship. After taking the oath, new citizens receive their citizenship certificate.

See Oath of citizenship, Citizenship judge.

An interview with a citizenship judge to assess whether an applicant meets the requirements for a grant of citizenship.

An independent, quasi-judicial decision maker who makes legal decisions on residency requirements for some adult citizenship applications, administers the oath of Canadian citizenship, and presides over citizenship ceremonies.

See Citizenship ceremony, Oath of citizenship.

A person who is authorized by the Minister under the Citizenship Act to perform the duties of a citizenship officer prescribed by the Citizenship Regulations such as:

• reviewing applications to see whether a person meets the requirements for Canadian citizenship and conducting interviews and hearings with applicants as necessary,

• planning interviews, tests, hearings and citizenship ceremonies,

• granting citizenship to applicants, and

• providing written decision of refusal to applicants including reasons for the refusal.

Citizenship applicants must prove their knowledge of Canada by taking a citizenship test.

Applicants between the ages of 18 and 54 (on the date of application) must take the test. It is usually a written test, but is sometimes taken orally with a citizenship officer.

The test assesses an applicant’s knowledge of:

• Canada, and

• The responsibilities and privileges of citizenship.

A client identification (client ID) number, also referred to as a unique client identifier (UCI), can be found on any official document issued by an IRCC office, case processing centre or a Canadian visa office outside Canada.

Your Client ID Number/Unique Client Identifier is either eight (8) or ten (10) numbers. (Example: 0000-0000 or 11-0000-000).

A person who has never dealt with IRCC before will not have a client ID number.

Foreign students who wish to participate in a co-op or internship program in a Canadian institution must apply for a work permit as well as a study permit. To be eligible for the co-op/internship work permit program, you must meet the following conditions:

• You must have a valid study permit or apply for the work permit in conjunction with a study permit.

• Your intended employment must be an essential and integral part of your program of study in Canada.

• Your employment must be certified as part of your academic program, by a letter from a responsible academic official of the institution.

• Your co-op or internship employment cannot form more than 50 percent of the total program of study.

A person or organization that partners with a private sponsor to share in the delivery of settlement assistance and support to privately sponsored refugees. Co-sponsors can be family members of the sponsored refugee living in Canada.

A stage of higher education that comes after high school. Colleges offer one- to three-year diploma programs in academic or technical subjects.

A person authorized under provincial or territorial law to administer and witness a person who will swear to an oath on sworn statements.

See Interpretation Act (R.S., c. I-23, s. 19).
See Affidavit