Canada reaches important milestone in restoring fairness and clarity to citizenship by descent

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 21, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada has taken an important step toward modernizing its citizenship laws. Canadians excluded under outdated rules will have a fair, clear way to pass citizenship on to their children born or adopted outside Canada.

Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), has received royal assent. This represents an important milestone in making the Citizenship Act more inclusive, while maintaining the value of Canadian citizenship.

Once the new law comes into force, Canadian citizenship will be provided to people born before the bill comes into force, who would have been citizens if not for the first-generation limit or other outdated rules of past legislation.

The new law will also create a modern, consistent path going forward. A Canadian parent born or adopted abroad will be able to pass citizenship on to their child born or adopted outside Canada on or after the date the bill comes into force, provided they have a substantial connection to Canada. This approach supports fairness for families while reinforcing the principle that real, demonstrated ties to Canada guide citizenship by descent.

The bill will come into force on a date set by order in council, which will be communicated publicly. Until then, the interim measure remains in place for people impacted by the first‑generation limit.

For more information, consult the Citizenship section of IRCC's official website.

Quotes:

"Bill C-3 will fix long-standing issues in our citizenship laws and bring fairness to families with children born or adopted abroad. It will provide citizenship to people who were excluded by previous laws, and it will set clear rules for the future that reflect how modern families live. These changes will strengthen and protect Canadian citizenship."
– The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

"By updating the Citizenship Act to reflect the global mobility of modern Canadian families, the federal government has made access to citizenship more fair and reasonable. I applaud the efforts of all who supported Bill C-3, and the federal government for doing the right thing for Canadians who lost their citizenship because of an outdated law."
– Don Chapman, Founder of the Lost Canadians

Quick facts:

• The first Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 included several provisions that caused many people to either lose their Canadian citizenship or never get it at all. Changes made in 2009 and 2015 restored or provided citizenship to most of these "lost Canadians". About 20,000 people came forward to seek their proof of Canadian citizenship as a result.
  
  
• The first-generation limit to Canadian citizenship by descent was introduced in 2009. It means that a child born or adopted outside Canada is not a Canadian citizen by descent if their Canadian parent was also born or adopted outside Canada.
  
  
• On December 19, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared that key parts of the Citizenship Act relating to the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent were unconstitutional. The Government of Canada did not appeal the ruling, as it agreed the law had unacceptable outcomes for children of Canadians who were born outside the country.

Related products:

• Canada to request a further extension to maintain first-generation limit to Canadian citizenship by descent
• Government of Canada introduces legislation for citizenship by descent
• Backgrounder – Bill C-71: An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2024)
• Canada will not appeal decision that strikes down first-generation limit to Canadian citizenship by descent

SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Contacts for media only: Laura Blondeau, Director of Communications, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 343-550-4808, [email protected]; Media Relations: People and Communications Sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]