Maple News reports that thousands of individuals may soon regain Canadian citizenship under newly proposed legislation aimed at overturning long-standing restrictions. On June 5, 2025, the federal government introduced Bill C-3, formally titled ‘An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025).’ The bill seeks to address the controversial ‘first-generation limit’ (FGL), which has long prevented certain individuals born abroad to Canadian parents from claiming Canadian citizenship.
The FGL, introduced in 2009, restricts citizenship by descent to only the first generation of Canadians born abroad. This means that children born outside Canada to Canadian citizens who themselves acquired citizenship by descent are currently ineligible for automatic citizenship. The restriction has disproportionately impacted families living or working internationally, creating what critics call a ‘second class’ of Canadian citizens.
In December 2023, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice ruled the FGL unconstitutional, stating it infringed on mobility rights and perpetuated unequal treatment. The federal government agreed not to appeal the decision and was granted six months to revise the law. Since then, temporary measures have allowed affected individuals to apply for citizenship on a discretionary basis—provided their Canadian parent had spent at least three years in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption, demonstrating a ‘substantial connection to Canada.’
Bill C-3 builds on these interim measures and proposes a permanent legislative fix. It would not only restore citizenship to those previously excluded by FGL but also establish a framework going forward that allows Canadian citizens by descent to pass on citizenship to their children—again contingent on meeting the substantial connection criteria.
This bill replaces an earlier legislative attempt—Bill C-71, introduced in May 2024—which proposed similar changes. That bill failed to become law after Parliament was prorogued in March 2025. The court has extended the deadline to reform the FGL multiple times, most recently to November 20, 2025. Should Parliament fail to enact legislation by then, the court may strike down or amend portions of the existing Citizenship Act.
As it stands, all children born in Canada automatically receive citizenship, barring a few exceptions such as children of foreign diplomats. The proposed changes specifically benefit Canadian parents living abroad, enabling them to transmit their citizenship more fairly and consistently.
Until Bill C-3 becomes law, eligible individuals may still apply under existing interim provisions for a discretionary grant of citizenship if a parent meets the three-year Canadian residency requirement.
Maple News will continue to monitor the progress of Bill C-3 as it moves through the legislative process, including three readings in Parliament and ultimately royal assent.