New changes to Canadian citizenship rules have just taken effect, making it easier for a wider range of people to obtain citizenship. This crucial change is the result of legislation, specifically Bill C-3, an Act to amend the Citizenship Act. This new law, which officially took effect on December 15, 2025, is also known as the “Lost Canadians” legislation and extends Canadian citizenship by descent beyond the first generation.
Understanding the Changes to Canadian Citizenship Law
The changes made by Bill C-3 will automatically grant citizenship to anyone who would be a citizen today if not for the first-generation limit. The first-generation limit prevented individuals born outside of Canada to a parent who was also born or adopted outside of Canada from a Canadian parent from automatically becoming a Canadian citizen.
Under the new law, a Canadian parent born or adopted abroad can pass citizenship onto their child born or adopted outside Canada provided they have a significant connection to Canada. This connection is demonstrated by at least 1,095 cumulative days (three years) of physical presence in Canada before their child’s birth or adoption.
Historical Context of the Citizenship Law
Back in 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared the first-generation limit as “unconstitutional.” However, the declaration was suspended until November 20, 2025. The first Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947 contained outdated laws that resulted in many people either losing their citizenship or not receiving one in the first place. This group became known as the “Lost Canadians.”
Legislative changes in 2009 and 2015 restored or gave citizenship to a majority of “Lost Canadians.” As a result, around 20,000 people became citizens and were issued certificates. However, the first-generation limit was introduced in 2009, causing some individuals born abroad beyond the first generation between February 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, to lose or fail to obtain citizenship at the age of 28.
Eligibility and Application Process
According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), if you automatically became a Canadian citizen under the new law, you can apply to get proof of Canadian citizenship. People who were adopted abroad before December 15, 2025, by a Canadian parent born or adopted abroad can apply for Canadian citizenship for an adopted child.
If you were born or adopted abroad on or after December 15, 2025, to a Canadian parent also born or adopted abroad, you must demonstrate that your Canadian parent has spent three years in Canada when applying for proof of citizenship, or applying for citizenship for an adopted child.
Those who automatically became Canadian citizens under the new law and were not previously granted citizenship, and who now want to renounce citizenship, can apply through the simplified renunciation process.
The changes made by Bill C-3 reflect the global mobility of modern Canadian families, making access to citizenship more fair and reasonable. These changes are a significant milestone in Canadian citizenship law and a welcome development for many.
Lead photo by
Erman Gunes/Shutterstock
