Canada welcomes new citizens in ceremonies across the country

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On 29 July, 2011, Canada swore in 1,140 new citizens from 104 countries in ceremonies across the Country.

"For new Canadians, the day they take the oath of citizenship and join our dominion as full citizens is a special day," said Canadian immigration minister Jason Kenney.

"During these citizenship ceremonies, we are reminded of the value of our citizenship. We celebrate our many freedoms and rights, as well as our history, symbols, events, people, institutions and values that define us as Canadians and give us our identity," he added.

Canada has welcomed over a quarter-million new immigrants per year since 2006, the highest level of immigration in Canadian history. In 2010, almost 150,000 immigrants became Canadian citizens.

"Citizenship and Immigration Canada hosts citizenship ceremonies – a newcomer's formal entry into the Canadian family – throughout the year," CIC said in a statement.

"These ceremonies are significant events in the lives of applicants and the starting point to a promising future in their new home," they added.

Canada depends heavily on immigration and provides prospective immigrants with a number of family and skilled immigration routes; These include the federal skilled worker program and the Provincial Nominee program. For more information on immigrating to Canada, please see our Canadian immigration section.