Maple News reports that on November 5, Bill C-3, which seeks to significantly expand Canadian citizenship eligibility, passed its third reading in the House of Commons. This legislative milestone brings the country closer to eliminating the controversial First-Generation Limit (FGL), a provision that restricts the transmission of Canadian citizenship to children born abroad beyond the first generation.
If enacted, Bill C-3 will amend the Citizenship Act to allow Canadians born outside the country to pass citizenship to their children also born abroad. This would restore rights stripped by the FGL and address long-standing concerns about unequal access to citizenship among Canadian families living internationally.
The bill is now before the Senate, where it must go through three readings and receive approval without amendments to proceed to Royal Assent and become law. If the Senate proposes changes, the bill would need to return to the House of Commons for further consideration. Only once both chambers pass identical versions can the bill receive final approval.
In the meantime, individuals affected by the FGL can apply under existing interim measures introduced by the federal government. These measures include the option to apply for a discretionary grant of Canadian citizenship, with urgent processing available depending on individual circumstances.
Those who stand to benefit most from the proposed changes include:
– Children born or adopted abroad before December 19, 2023, to a Canadian parent.
– Children born or adopted after this date whose Canadian parent meets the “substantial connection to Canada” test.
– Persons born before April 1, 1949, with a Canadian parent but denied citizenship under the FGL.
– Individuals who previously lost citizenship due to unmet retention rules outlined in former legislation.
Bill C-3 follows a legal mandate. In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that the FGL violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ordering the government to change the law. Despite multiple extensions, the federal government missed the initial and revised deadlines to comply—a situation that intensified pressure to introduce permanent changes.
An earlier attempt to address the issue through Bill C-71 failed after the dissolution of Parliament in early 2025 following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Bill C-3 was subsequently introduced as the government’s renewed effort to resolve the matter with enduring legislative reform instead of temporary fixes.
If passed, Bill C-3 would be a significant victory for Canadian families seeking equal citizenship rights regardless of birthplace, reinforcing Canada’s commitment to inclusive and fair immigration and nationality policies.