Express Entry

Canada Modernizes Citizenship by Descent Laws to Improve Fairness

November 21, 2025—Ottawa—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 Canadians excluded under outdated rules will have a fair, clear way to pass citizenship on to their children born or adopted outside Canada.

On November 21, 2025, Canada passed Bill C-3, updating the Citizenship Act to address outdated rules affecting citizenship by descent. This legislation will allow Canadians previously excluded under the first-generation limit and other legacy provisions to pass citizenship to their children born or adopted outside Canada. The new law, once in effect, will also establish a clear and fair framework requiring Canadian parents born or adopted abroad to demonstrate a substantial connection to Canada before their children can automatically receive citizenship by descent. The government will announce the official date when the bill comes into force. Meanwhile, existing interim measures remain available for those affected by the first-generation limit. The changes follow a 2023 court ruling that deemed parts of the Citizenship Act unconstitutional for their restrictive impact. For additional details, consult IRCC’s citizenship resources.

Original Source

canada.ca

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