In a significant move for Canadian citizenship, Bill C-71 was introduced on May 23, 2024, in Ottawa, with the aim of amending the Citizenship Act. This proposed legislation seeks to extend citizenship by descent beyond the current first-generation limit, providing more inclusivity for children born outside Canada to Canadian parents.
Currently, a Canadian citizen parent can only directly pass on citizenship to a child born abroad if they were born in Canada or naturalized before the child’s birth. Bill C-71 intends to change this by automatically granting citizenship to anyone born to a Canadian parent outside the country before the legislation is enacted.
Additionally, the bill addresses the plight of the “Lost Canadians,” individuals who were unable to obtain or maintain their citizenship due to outdated laws. The new amendments aim to rectify this, restoring citizenship to those affected and their descendants.
Under the proposed law, children born abroad to Canadian citizens who can demonstrate a substantial connection to Canada will be granted Canadian citizenship from birth. Specifically, if a Canadian parent who was born outside of Canada has spent at least three years in the country before their child’s birth, their child can inherit Canadian citizenship.
Furthermore, the bill aims to ensure equal treatment for adopted children, allowing them to access citizenship even if they were previously excluded by the first-generation limit.
These changes are designed to create a clearer, fairer, and more accessible citizenship process in Canada, promoting values of democracy, equality, and inclusion.
For more details, please refer to the announcement from the IRCC newsroom.
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