Canada Moves Closer to Changing Citizenship Laws, Easing Path for Overseas-Born Children

Canada is set to overhaul its citizenship rules with Bill C-3, which aims to simplify the path to citizenship for children of Canadian citizens born abroad. The proposed legislation would remove the “first-generation limit,” allowing these children to automatically gain Canadian citizenship if their parents meet a “substantial connection” requirement (e.g., at least 1,095 days/3 years of residence in Canada before the child’s birth) [1][3].

Key highlights:
– Automatic citizenship for second-generation overseas-born children.
– Fixes the “lost Canadians” issue, granting eligibility retroactively.
– A “substantial connection” test ensures a genuine link to Canada.
– Expected to take effect early 2026 once a cabinet order is issued [4][8].

This change could benefit many families, especially those of Indian origin with ties to Canada.