Canada’s Department of Citizenship and Immigration has announced that would-be citizens will now have two chances to pass their citizenship exam.
The test, which is one of the final steps in becoming a Canadian citizen, has undergone many changes in recent years, including an increased emphasis placed on testing newcomers’ knowledge of Canadian culture.
Currently applicants who fail the test must appear before a judge which can take upwards of 29 months. The new rule will be applied retroactively, meaning that all those who are now waiting to see a judge will be able to re-write the exam. For those needing to re-sit in the future, they will be able to try again within four to eight weeks. If they do not pass the second time around, they will have to appear before a judge.
Newcomers are eligible to apply for citizenship after residing in Canada for three years as a permanent resident. Once they gain citizenship they are able to carry Canadian passports and vote.
The government hopes that this move will help shorten the current processing times for citizenship applications which stand at approximately 23 months.
Source: Regina Leader-Post