CANADA OFFICIALLY INTRODUCES BILL C-3 – EXPANDING CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT

📅 On June 5, 2025, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-3 (An Act to amend the Citizenship Act 2025), aimed at restoring citizenship rights to thousands of people who lost their Canadian citizenship due to the “First-Generation Limit” (FGL) provision in the Citizenship Act.

👶 WHAT IS THE FIRST-GENERATION LIMIT (FGL)?
Since 2009, Canadian citizenship law has stated that:
➡️ Children born abroad to Canadian parents who acquired citizenship by descent do not automatically receive Canadian citizenship.

This left many individuals — despite being descendants of Canadian citizens — ineligible for citizenship, especially in cases where they were born abroad and had not lived in Canada themselves.

⚖️ ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT RULES FGL UNCONSTITUTIONAL
📌 In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that the FGL violated the Charter rights to equality and mobility, effectively creating a “second-class citizenship.”
The federal government agreed not to appeal the decision and committed to amending the law — paving the way for Bill C-3 to be introduced in Parliament.

🔁 WHAT’S NEW IN BILL C-3?
If passed, Bill C-3 will:
✅ Restore citizenship to individuals who were affected by the FGL.
✅ Allow Canadian citizens by descent to pass on citizenship to their children born abroad, provided that:

📍 The parent has a “substantial connection to Canada”, meaning they must have lived in Canada for at least 1,095 days (around 3 years) before the child’s birth or adoption.

📝 CURRENT STATUS: AWAITING PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL
To become official law, Bill C-3 must:

• Pass three readings in both the House of Commons and the Senate

• Receive Royal Assent

📅 Deadline: November 20, 2025 — if not passed by then, the court may strike down parts of the current Citizenship Act related to the FGL.

🌟 GREAT NEWS FOR THOSE AFFECTED: YOU CAN APPLY NOW!
As of March 13, 2025, the government has implemented temporary measures:
➡️ If a Canadian parent has lived in Canada for at least 3 years, their child born abroad can already apply for citizenship through a discretionary grant, even though the law hasn’t officially changed yet.

🧾 You do NOT need to wait for the new law to be passed to submit an application!

If you or your child were previously ineligible for citizenship because of being born abroad to a Canadian parent by descent:
✅ Check now if the parent meets the “substantial connection to Canada” requirement
✅ You can apply immediately under the temporary process
✅ If Bill C-3 is passed, the citizenship will be permanently recognized