Canada may soon allow new citizens to take the oath without a citizenship judge. Proposed changes to the citizenship oath requirements have sparked debate, with critics saying it could cheapen the process. The changes aim to increase citizenship uptake, which has been on a decline for 20 years. New statistics show just 45.7% of permanent residents became citizens in 2021, down from 60% in 2016 and 75.1% in 2001. The processing time for citizenship has doubled during the pandemic, but the changes could streamline the process. Applicants can still choose to take the oath in front of a citizenship judge or sign a written attestation online.
