Toronto, Nov 24: Canada’s move to amend its citizenship legislation is expected to have wide-ranging effects on overseas Canadians, particularly those of Indian origin, as the federal government prepares to implement changes following royal assent to Bill C-3. The bill, which modifies key provisions of the Citizenship Act, seeks to resolve long-standing gaps produced by earlier legal amendments.
The government said the updated law acknowledges global migration patterns and aims to ensure continuity of citizenship across generations. Under the reform, individuals who were excluded due to the first-generation limit may now qualify for citizenship once the changes officially take effect. The limit has posed a challenge for many Indian-origin Canadians whose children were born abroad, people familiar with the matter said.
According to the announcement, the bill will also allow Canadian parents born outside the country to transfer citizenship to their own children born or adopted abroad, subject to demonstrating strong ties to Canada. Officials say the intent is to make rules clearer and fairer for the future.
The federal release added that the amendment aligns with the government’s broader goal of protecting the value of Canadian citizenship while updating provisions considered outdated. “This represents an important milestone in making the Citizenship Act more inclusive, while maintaining the value of Canadian citizenship,” the statement read.
Minister Lena Metlege Diab said the legislation addresses inequity created over decades of policy shifts. She said, “It will provide citizenship to people who were excluded by previous laws, and it will set clear rules for the future that reflect how modern families live.”
The reform was also influenced by last year’s judgement from the Ontario Superior Court, which struck down parts of the law and criticised how the first-generation limit affected children of Canadians born outside the country. Ottawa refrained from appealing the ruling, saying it agreed the law produced unacceptable outcomes.
Advocates have welcomed the change. Don Chapman of Lost Canadians said the updated rules recognise the “global mobility of modern Canadian families,” and bring the law in line with contemporary realities.
The bill will formally take effect on a future date to be posted publicly. The government said an interim measure remains in place to support families facing barriers due to the current limit.
