Canada Relaxes Citizenship Law

Canada is set to make a major change to its citizenship laws, making it easier for families with Canadian roots to pass on their citizenship to children born abroad. The federal government has introduced Bill C-3, which aims to remove the current restriction that limits citizenship by descent to only the first generation born outside Canada.

What Is Changing?

Since 2009, Canadian citizens born outside the country have not been able to automatically pass their citizenship to their children if those children were also born abroad. This “first-generation limit” has prevented many families from maintaining their Canadian citizenship across generations.

Bill C-3, if passed, will:

• Restore citizenship to people who lost or were denied citizenship because of the first-generation limit or older rules.
• Allow citizenship by descent beyond the first generation, as long as the Canadian parent has spent at least 1,095 days (about three years) in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.

Why Now?

The change follows a December 2023 Ontario Superior Court ruling that found the first-generation limit unconstitutional, as it discriminated against children born abroad to Canadian parents. The government chose not to appeal the decision and instead moved to update the law.

Who Will Benefit?

The new rules could help:

• Children born abroad to Canadian parents who were also born outside Canada
• Children adopted outside Canada by Canadian parents
• Individuals who lost citizenship at age 28 under previous laws
• “Lost Canadians” affected by outdated citizenship rules
• Past reforms in 2009 and 2015 restored citizenship to nearly 20,000 people. Bill C-3 is expected to help many more.

What’s Next?

Bill C-3 must still be approved by Parliament and receive Royal Assent before it becomes law. If passed, the government will provide clear instructions on eligibility and the application process through the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.