The number of citizenship applications received by the Canadian government has continued its dramatic downward trend, causing experts to question whether increasing costs are to blame.

Just over 33,000 candidates applied for Canadian citizenship in the second quarter of 2016, compared with more than 65,000 for the same period in 2015, according to figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

With the current cost of citizenship at $530, plus an additional $100 'right of citizenship' fee, immigrants to Canada appear to be choosing to remain as permanent residents instead of taking the next step to fully integrate themselves into society.

As recently as 2014, the citizenship fee was $100. The previous Conservative government raised it to $300, and then to $530 in 2015.

The application figures continue a trend that saw only 130,000 candidates apply for citizenship in 2015 versus an average of 200,000 in the years before.

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The content of this article reflects the personal insight of Attorney Colin Singer and needs no disclaimer