Demand for Canadian citizenship certificates soaring, fuelled by Americans
A surge in applications for Canadian citizenship certificates has occurred following the implementation of Bill C-3, which restores citizenship to descendants of Canadians. Americans account for a significant portion of these new applicants, with tens of thousands currently awaiting processing.
Why it matters
The legislation addresses historical inequities in citizenship laws, leading to a massive administrative backlog and a notable increase in dual-citizenship requests from U.S. residents.
The number of people who have already received certificates as a result of Parliament’s adoption of “Lost Canadian” legislation late last year rose nearly 50 per cent between April 1 and May 31, according to new data obtained by CBC.
Bill C-3 allows citizenship for those who can prove they're descended from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left the country several generations back. It was adopted after the courts ruled that limiting citizenship to the first generation born outside of Canada was too restrictive.
Between mid-December — when Bill C-3 went into effect — and May 31, some 6,100 citizenship certificates were granted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to those who now qualify.
That is up from 4,075 certificates issued as a result of Bill C-3 from mid-December until March 31.
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