Key Points
- Canada will extend citizenship by descent beyond first generations to be more inclusive
Overview
The Canadian government introduced Bill C-71, which amends the country’s citizenship law to extend citizenship by descent beyond first generations. As a result, persons born abroad to a Canadian parent who is also born abroad will automatically be granted Canadian citizenship.
The bill will extend access to a direct grant of citizenship to children born abroad and adopted by a Canadian parent beyond the first generation.
To qualify, parents born abroad who have or adopt children also born outside Canada must have spent at least 1,095 cumulative days of physical presence in Canada before the birth or adoption of their child to pass on citizenship.
In addition, the bill will also restore citizenship to “Lost Canadians”—individuals who lost or never acquired citizenship because of outdated provisions of previous citizenship legislation.
Bill C-71 would also provide citizenship to the descendants of “Lost Canadians” and anyone born abroad to a Canadian parent in the second or subsequent generations before the legislation comes into force.
According to the government, this is key to ensuring the integration of immigrants within the country and creating a more inclusive Canadian citizenship.
Looking Ahead
Continue to check the government of Canada’s website for the latest updates and information.
Written by: Jessie Butchley, Global Immigration Writer, Envoy Global
Source: Government of Canada
