Immigrants hit citizenship roadblocks with language forms

Nova Scotia immigrants who want to become Canadian citizens say they are facing obstacles when it comes to the proof of language forms they must supply with their applications.

Mitra Naseh’s is an immigrant from Iran living in Halifax. Her citizenship application has been rejected for a second time, even though it includes the proper language forms.

Not only did she meet the Level 4 minimum language requirement for citizenship, Naseh says she submitted proof she reached Level 8.

A letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada says she hasn't provided the proper evidence, however the forms Naseh submitted came from the government website.

"The worst thing is that everybody is confused," Naseh said, adding many of her friends have met the same problem filling out the government forms.

Over the past six months, some language instructors in the Halifax area have seen more letters like these than ever before.

Anne Kelly, the manager of an English as an additional language program in Dartmouth, has been helping many students with rejected citizenship applications. She has taken to writing letters to supplement their applications.

"It's also making the other students nervous or anxious about sending in their applications," Kelly says.

Kelly said she has contacted the federal government for clarity, but all she's been told is that her clients should apply again.