On 10th June 2025, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship introduced Bill C-3, a legislative proposal aimed at reforming Canada’s citizenship framework, particularly concerning children born abroad to Canadian parents.

Under the current legislation, Canadian citizenship can only be passed to a child born outside Canada if the Canadian parent was either born in Canada or became a naturalised citizen before the child's birth. Bill C-3 proposes to automatically confer Canadian citizenship on individuals born abroad to Canadian parents, even if the parent was also born outside of Canada, thereby removing the generational restriction currently in place.

In addition, the Bill introduces a new mechanism for citizenship by descent beyond the first generation. It would allow individuals born abroad to acquire Canadian citizenship if their Canadian parent can demonstrate a substantial connection to Canada. This would be defined as a minimum of 1,095 cumulative days (approximately three years) of physical presence in Canada prior to the child's birth or legal adoption.

While Parliament reviews the proposed legislation, interim measures that expand eligibility for citizenship remain in effect. Should the Bill be passed and receive royal assent, further guidance and implementation details will follow.

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Contact and Disclaimer

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Should you have any questions regarding the above information, or require assistance with your immigration or global mobility matters, please don’t hesitate to contact our legal team at Hudson McKenzie. You can reach us by email at londoninfo@hudsonmckenzie.com or by telephone at +44 (0) 20 3318 5794. For office locations, please visit our Our Offices page.

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The information provided in this blog is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.

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