OTTAWA - Would-be Canadians will be required to submit tangible proof of how well they speak English or French beginning this November.
The new requirements were unveiled last year and will see citizenship applicants given three ways to prove their proficiency.
Applicants will have to submit results of a government-approved third-party language test, show they've finished high school or post-secondary education in English or French or prove they've received an appropriate level of language education via government-funded training programs.
Knowledge of French or English has been a requirement to obtain citizenship since 1977, but Immigration Minister Jason Kenney had sought to find an objective way to prove proficiency.
It used to be assessed as part of the general citizenship test and related interview.
That will still be part of the criteria but before would-be citizens even get to that step, they'll have to submit the evidence as part of their overall application.
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