A citizenship judge is an official in Canada who assesses referred applications to ensure they meet the residence requirements for Canadian citizenship and presides over citizenship ceremonies to administer the Oath of Citizenship for successful applicants. Citizenship judges also speak to community groups, schools, and other audiences about the process to become a citizen, as well as Canadian values and the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship. As independent decision makers, citizenship judges comprise the Citizenship Commission a body that is arms length from the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. The Commission is led by a senior judge who is first amongs equals.
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Citizenship judges are appointed in accordance with the Citizenship Act by the Governor General-in-Council on the recommendation of Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. Citizenship judges are addressed as Judge [name] rather than Your Honour.
Unlike Justice of the peace, Citizenship judges are not judicial officers.
Current citizenship judges
Regalia
Citizenship judges wear a black judicial gown with burgundy accent. A heraldic badge is worn on the right and official national awards may be worn on the left. Judicial tabs are worn with a white wing collar shirt.