Maple News reports that major amendments to Canada’s Citizenship Act have officially come into effect as of December 15, 2025, restoring Canadian citizenship to thousands of individuals previously excluded under the former ‘first-generation limit’ rules.
Under the new legislation, Bill C-3, individuals born outside Canada to Canadian parents—including many who were once classified as ‘lost Canadians’—are now eligible for citizenship, provided they or their parents meet specific criteria. This change signifies a major shift in how citizenship by descent is inherited, correcting long-standing gaps that left many without status despite their familial ties to Canada.
The key revision involves lifting the first-generation limit (FGL), which had been in place since 2009. That policy allowed only the first generation born abroad to Canadian citizens to automatically gain citizenship. Children born outside Canada to Canadian parents who themselves were citizens by descent—often the second generation—were previously ineligible and had no access to Canadian citizenship. With Bill C-3 now enacted, those born before December 15, 2025, and affected by the FGL, are automatically recognized as Canadian citizens.
For children born on or after that date, Canadian citizenship by descent is still available provided the Canadian parent meets a new ‘substantial connection to Canada’ requirement. This test requires the Canadian parent to have spent at least 1,095 days (roughly three years) physically present in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.
To confirm eligibility, applicants can complete a proof of citizenship application through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The application process requires supporting documentation and includes a non-refundable fee of $75. As of now, the estimated processing time for these applications is around nine months.
Once proof of citizenship is obtained, individuals may apply for a Canadian passport, gaining access to all the rights and privileges of Canadian citizens, including the right to live and work in Canada, vote in federal elections, and stand for public office.
While the federal government has taken down its previous ‘Am I a Canadian?’ web tool, several eligibility calculators remain available to help individuals assess their likelihood of gaining citizenship under the new law.
This legislative update is being hailed as a significant step toward addressing generational inequalities in Canada’s citizenship framework and rectifying historic exclusions that shaped the ‘lost Canadians’ narrative. According to Maple News, it is part of a broader effort to make Canadian citizenship more inclusive and reflective of modern family and global realities.