The Self-employed class is reserved for world-class athletes, well-known artists and those with specialized farm management skills.

Photo from Landed: Six New Lives in Canada

HOW TO QUALIFY:

You can apply for citizenship if you:

• are at least 18

• have been a legal permanent resident of Canada for three out of the previous four years

• can communicate in English or French

• have knowledge of Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship

It takes eight months to a year from application to citizenship ceremony. The fee is $200 for everyone aged 18 and over and $100 for children (non-refundable). The application is sent to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Your application must include your record of landing, two pieces of identification and two signed photographs. A form for each child must also be submitted.

You will be sent a study book, A Look at Canada, after the Sydney centre gets your application. Once the citizenship judge in your area decides you meet the qualifications, you will receive a letter telling you to go for a test. Children under 18 don't have to write the test.

How To Become a Canadian Citizen (external link)

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85% of immigrants become Canadian citizens

Three to five per cent of citizenship applicants are rejected every year

More than 150,000 people become citizens every year

The oldest person to become a citizen was 105 years old. She was a Vietnamese immigrant

SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada