The federal government passed Bill C-3, significantly expanding access to Canadian citizenship after a court ruling struck down long-standing provisions of the Citizenship Act and forced Liberal action.
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The bill received Royal Assent in November and came into force this week, removing the so-called first-generation limit, which had blocked Canadian parents born abroad from automatically passing citizenship to their children born outside Canada.
In 2023, the Ontario Superior Court struck down the limit, ruling that it violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and giving Ottawa a deadline to amend the law or face outright invalidation of the provisions.
Rather than appealing the decision, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-3, retroactively restoring citizenship to thousands of people previously excluded under the rules and creating a new framework that allows future generations born abroad to claim citizenship if their parent can demonstrate a “substantial connection” to Canada.
Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the changes modernize citizenship laws and reflect the realities of globally mobile families. Others, however, say the legislation further weakens the meaning of Canadian citizenship and was rushed through Parliament under judicial pressure rather than public mandate.
Expanded citizenship, limited debate
Bill C-3 automatically recognizes as Canadian citizens individuals born or adopted outside Canada before the law came into force who were previously excluded by past restrictions, allowing them to apply for proof of status.
For future cases, Canadian parents born abroad will be able to pass citizenship to children born outside the country if they can show at least three years of physical presence in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.
Conservative critics argue that the new framework still lets individuals with limited long-term ties to Canada inherit citizenship, insisting that citizenship should reflect meaningful residence, contribution, and commitment to the country.
During parliamentary debate, opposition MPs questioned why the government ignored the issue for so long, noting that Ottawa had years to reform the Citizenship Act before the courts forced action.
Concerns over citizenship integrity
While advocacy groups welcomed the changes, some legal and policy experts warned that expanding citizenship retroactively could strain federal processing systems and create uncertainty around eligibility verification.
The legislation also places additional responsibility on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to assess “substantial connection” claims, raising questions about consistency, enforcement and oversight.
Bill C-3 marks one of the most consequential changes to Canadian citizenship law in decades, reshaping who qualifies as Canadian — not through broad public consultation, critics argue, but through court-driven legislative reform.
As applications begin under the new rules, the long-term impact on Canada’s immigration and citizenship systems remains to be seen.
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