This is an update to our previous citizenship blog post regarding Canadian citizenship by descent for subsequent generations born outside of Canada.
Bill C-3: An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) was first introduced on June 5, 2025. This Bill was introduced in response to an extension granted by Justice Albarali of the Federal Court to suspend the declaration of invalidity of current sections of the Citizenship Act to November 20, 2025.
The new Bill sets to offer a path to citizenship by descent for individuals who have been previously barred from being recognized as citizens due to the first generational limit. The legislation mirrors its predecessor, Bill C-71, which had been tabled before Parliament was prorogued.
Under Bill C-3, citizenship could be passed by a Canadian parent to a subsequent generation. Any children born after the passage of the Bill, however, would be subject to different criteria. It would have to be demonstrated that their Canadian parent had a substantial connection to Canada before the child was born.
Effective June 20, the House of Commons will not be sitting for the summer and will be returning on September 15, 2025. With the November 20, 2025, deadline less than 5 months away and only 2 months into the new Parliamentary session, it is difficult to imagine that this will be sufficient time for a new Bill to pass.
During this time, the interim measure for second generation Canadians born abroad continues to remain in place and provides an option for affected individuals to become Canadian citizens.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
