Canadian Citizenship Test

In general, anyone born in Canada from 1947 onwards acquired Canadian citizenship at birth. The only exceptions concern children born to diplomats, where additional requirements apply.
Most persons born in Canada before 1947 acquired Canadian citizenship on 1 January 1947 if still living at that date.

The Canadian Citizenship Act of 1946 took effect on 1 January 1947. Prior to that date, Canadians were British subjects and Canada’s nationality law closely mirrored that of the United Kingdom. As Canadian independence was obtained incrementally over the course of many years since the formation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867, the Second World War in particular gave rise to a desire amongst Canadians to have their country recognized as a fully-fledged sovereign state with a distinct citizenship. Prior to the conferring of legal status on Canadian citizenship, Canada’s naturalization laws consisted of a hodgepodge of confusing Acts which may have provided additional impetus for the creation of Canadian citizenship.
On 1 January 1947, Canadian citizenship was conferred on most British subjects connected with Canada. Subsequently, on 1 April 1949, Canadian nationality law was extended to Newfoundland upon that country’s admission to Confederation.
Canadian nationality law was substantially revised on 15 February 1977. Notably, from that date Canada fully accepts multiple citizenship. However those who lost Canadian citizenship before that date did not automatically have it restored.

Canadian citizenship is obtained by birth in Canada (other than as a child of a foreign diplomat), by birth abroad, when at least one parent is a Canadian citizen, or can be granted to a permanent resident who lives in Canada for three out of four years before applying for citizenship and is able to speak English or French. Time spent as a temporary resident before permanent residence is granted counts as half. Under special circumstances, the law allows for some requirements to be waived.