Home » About the Department

The Citizenship Commission

The Citizenship Commission is an administrative tribunal within Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The Commission is comprised of all citizenship judges working across Canada. Its mandate is as follows:

• To review approximately 130,000 citizenship applications each year;
• To assess applicants to ensure they meet the requirements of the Citizenship Act and Regulations;
• To administer the oath of citizenship and stress the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship;
• To maintain the integrity of the citizenship process; and
• To promote citizenship by working with school boards, service clubs, multicultural groups and other community organizations.

Citizenship judges are independent, quasi-judicial decision makers. Their decisions can be appealed to the Federal Court of Canada by a failed applicant or the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Judges need to know:

• The principles of administrative law and natural justice;
• The Citizenship Act and Regulations and relevant case law; and
• The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as the Criminal Code.

Citizenship judges are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of CIC. New appointees are chosen from a list of qualified candidates who have gone through rigorous screening.

The Citizenship Commission is led by a Senior Citizenship Judge who is first among equals. Reporting to the Minister, the Senior Citizenship Judge is responsible for ensuring the proper administration of the law and promoting collegiality between citizenship judges. The spokesperson of the Commission, the Senior Citizenship Judge also assumes responsibility for managing the administrative and professional services that the Commission offers to judges.

How do you become a citizenship judge?

Citizenship judges are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. For more details refer to the Backgrounder on the Citizenship Judge Screening Process.

To apply, interested candidates must:

1. Complete and print the Citizenship Judge Candidate Information Form (each page must be dated and signed).
2. Provide any additional information, which you believe to be useful. If the space provided is not sufficient, you may supplement it by attaching additional numbered pages.
3. Provide a copy of your curriculum vitae and any other documents to:
   
   Citizenship Judge Screening Process
   Citizenship Commission
   Canadian Building
   219 Laurier Avenue West, Room A-920
   Ottawa, Ontario
   K1A 1L1

For security reasons, do not fax or e-mail these documents.

For more information:
Fax: (613) 954-4621

>> next | Profiles of Citizenship Judges