Why are applicants required even to prove they returned to Canada? As far as I know, as long as I'm maintaining my PR, I have all the right to be anywhere.
In my case, I moved out of Canada after my application on Feb 22. But then I got an email asking for my "residential address in Canada". I gave them my friend's address, where I stayed for some time this summer, but I don't live there now. I'm already being discriminated against because have not even gotten a test invite after 11 months of waiting.
There are two broad categories of deliberate discrimination, which is entirely legitimate discrimination, in processing citizenship applications:
-- discrimination based on eligibility requirements (falling short of the physical presence requirement by just one day mandates the application be denied; pending criminal charge for indictable offence will constitute a prohibition, barring a grant of citizenship, even if eventually the applicant might be found to be innocent; among many others)
-- discrimination based on factors which IRCC officials consider reason to conduct additional scrutiny, including non-routine processing that can and typically does delay the process and which can impose additional burdens on applicants (ranging from finger print requests to RQ-related non-routine processing; including, in regards to applicants known or perceived to be abroad, some local offices requiring certain information as to the applicant's return to Canada or even confirmation of actual return to Canada)
As many know, certain kinds of discrimination are not permissible, not legitimate. Treating citizenship applicants differently based on the colour of their skin, their gender or sexual orientation, their political affiliations, their religious views, or such, is not allowed (acknowledging, however, this is imperfectly applied).
Other forms of impermissible discrimination include the imposition of unjustified restrictions on fundamental rights or freedoms. That said, not all restrictions on fundamental rights or freedoms is wrong or illegal or contrary to the Charter; there are many thousands of Canadians whose freedom to travel is strictly restricted to a single facility, typically one with bars and surrounded by secure fencing, and not only have the courts approved of this, typically this is pursuant to court orders. There are, of course, legitimate reasons for imposing such restrictions on certain individuals, as determined through fair procedures.
Which leads to mobility rights.
Spoiler alert regarding mobility rights: the mobility rights protected by the Charter are NOT the same for all Canadians. Canadian citizens, in particular, have mobility rights encompassing international travel. But only those Canadians who are Canadian citizens have those mobility rights. In contrast, the mobility rights of Canadians who have PR status (remember, PRs are Canadians, as they are no longer Foreign Nationals once they become a landed PR), are limited to travel within Canada.
Generally Canada does not restrict the right of PRs to travel outside Canada. But neither is the "
right" of a PR to travel outside Canada protected as a right under the Charter. Moreover, even though generally Canada does not restrict the right of PRs to travel outside Canada, Canadian law imposes a limitation on how much time a PR can travel outside Canada and still retain their PR status.
It does indeed appear that applicants living abroad after applying for citizenship are, at least to some degree, discriminated against because of this. Not all. Perhaps not even usually. But, it appears many are. For one example, there has long been a correlation between being abroad and a higher risk for RQ-related non-routine processing. It is also apparent that being abroad (or perceived to be abroad) is a factor increasing the likelihood of an interview (noting, however, IRCC is probably moving toward resuming interviews for all adult applicants anyway). There are credible reports that before completing the process and scheduling the oath, some local offices are requiring applicants known or perceived to be abroad to provide detailed information about when the applicant will return to Canada, and some offices are even requiring documentation the applicant has returned to Canada.
Many decry this, asserting this should not happen. But it does and not only is this within the range of IRCC's discretion, the reasons why they take this approach are no mystery (even if articulating them here tends to incite controversy if not outright personal assaults). You ask what those reasons are. That question has been answered at length in numerous threads here, often triggering an unfounded firestorm of derision; just peruse discussions in topics which refer to "abroad" or "outside Canada" in the topic title.
SUMMARY: not all discrimination is prohibited, and actually it is the opposite, most is not. Applicants who relocate abroad after applying, or who are otherwise abroad for extended periods of time after applying, should be aware this can result in non-routine processing potentially delaying the process and potentially even impose significant additional burdens on the applicant.