Your status stops having an end date
Work permits, study permits and visitor records all expire, and every renewal is a new decision. Citizenship isn't renewed. It can't lapse because a form was late or a rule changed.
Passport benefits
What a Canadian passport actually changes
The passport is the visible part. Behind it is citizenship: a status that doesn't run out, doesn't depend on an employer, and carries rights no permit does.
If you already live in Canada
Three things stop being a worry.
Your job stops deciding whether you can stay
Many work permits name one employer. Lose the job and the reason for the permit goes with it. A citizen can change employers, start a business, study or take time off without asking anyone.
Leaving the country stops being a risk
Permanent residents must spend 730 days in Canada in every five years to keep their status. Citizens have no residency rule, and the Charter sets out their right to enter and remain.
What comes with it
The rights behind the document.
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A Canadian passport
A widely accepted travel document, and consular help from Canadian embassies and consulates when you are abroad.
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A vote
Vote in federal, provincial and local elections. Only citizens can, and only citizens can stand for election.
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Work without a permit
Any employer, any occupation, any province, with no labour market assessment and no conditions.
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Domestic tuition
Citizens study at domestic rates, usually a fraction of what international students pay.
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Health coverage on resident terms
Provincial health insurance follows where you live, not the terms or length of a permit.
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Citizenship for your children
Children born in Canada are citizens at birth. Children born abroad can be too, under the 1,095-day rule.
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Dual citizenship
Canada lets you hold more than one citizenship. You don't give up the one you were born with on Canada's account.
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Work in the United States
Canadian citizens in eligible professions can apply for TN status under the CUSMA trade agreement.
Side by side
Permit, permanent residence, citizenship.
| Question | Temporary resident | Permanent resident | Citizen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does the status expire? | Yes, on the permit's end date | No, but the residency rule applies | No |
| Must you live in Canada to keep it? | It ends when the permit does | Yes: 730 days in every five years | No |
| Can you work for any employer? | Depends on the permit | Yes | Yes |
| Can you vote? | No | No | Yes |
| Canadian passport? | No | No | Yes |
| Can it be taken away? | Yes, if conditions are broken or it isn't renewed | Yes, for failing the residency rule or serious criminality | Only in rare cases, such as fraud in obtaining it |
| Does it pass to children born abroad? | No | No | Yes, subject to the 1,095-day rule |
A summary of general rules as of October 2026. Each status has exceptions.
The fine print
What to know before you count on it.
Your other country has a say
Canada allows multiple citizenship. Some countries don't, and a few treat holding another citizenship as giving up theirs. Check your own country's rules before you apply.
Nothing changes until the certificate arrives
Being a citizen in law and being able to prove it are different things. Until a citizenship certificate is issued, keep your current status valid and follow its conditions.
It only works if the line is real
All of this depends on a Canadian citizen in your direct family line and records that show it. If the line isn't there, this route isn't available.
Start here
Find out where your family line leads.
The check is free and takes about two minutes. If your line doesn't qualify, we'll tell you so.