Ottawa, June 8 —The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-3, which proposes to lift restrictions on citizenship by descent, offering relief to thousands of people impacted by outdated laws.
Introduced by Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, the bill is part of a broader push by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration to fix what the government has termed as “injustices” faced by Canadian families living abroad. If passed, Bill C-3 would allow Canadians born outside the country to pass on their citizenship to children born abroad—a right currently denied under a 2009 amendment.
“The current first-generation limit to citizenship no longer reflects how Canadian families live today—here at home and around the world—and the values that define our country,” said Minister Diab while presenting the bill in Parliament.
What Will Bill C-3 Do?
The new bill proposes a two-pronged correction:
- Create a framework that allows citizenship by descent beyond the first generation, provided a Canadian parent demonstrates at least 1,095 cumulative days of physical presence in Canada before their child’s birth.
- Automatically restore citizenship to individuals who lost or were denied it due to the first-generation limit or other outdated legal provisions.
These changes come after the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled the current law unconstitutional in December 2023, increasing pressure on the federal government to act.
The legislation is expected to be a significant step for the Indian diaspora and other immigrant communities in Canada. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the bill would allow Canadian citizens born abroad to pass on their citizenship to their children born outside Canada, provided they have a substantial connection to the country.
“It would also provide them with access to the direct grant of citizenship for their child adopted abroad beyond the first generation,” IRCC said in a statement.
This means that children born in India to Canadian parents—or even ancestors—could now be eligible for citizenship, a shift that could impact thousands of families with generational ties to Canada.
Bill C-3 is currently under legislative scrutiny and must pass three readings in both the House of Commons and the Senate before it can receive Royal Assent from the Governor General and become law.
“If the bill passes both Houses of Parliament and receives Royal Assent, we will work as quickly as possible to bring the changes into effect,” the IRCC said.
The proposed amendment also arrives at a politically charged time, as neighbouring United States moves in the opposite direction, with former President Donald Trump announcing an end to birthright citizenship—a move seen to negatively affect many immigrants.
Canada’s reform, by contrast, is being positioned as an inclusive policy shift—reuniting families and restoring rights to individuals long excluded by legal technicalities.
