This limitation has resulted in many individuals, often referred to as “lost Canadians,” discovering that they were not eligible for citizenship despite their family ties.
Ontario (Canada), November 23, 2025- BNN Web Staff Canada is preparing to implement a significant update to its citizenship laws, a reform expected to benefit thousands of families of Indian origin. Bill C-3, which introduces amendments to the Citizenship Act, has now received royal assent, signalling the federal government’s readiness to move ahead. Although the law is not yet in effect, Ottawa will soon announce the official implementation date.
Eliminating the Second-Generation Citizenship Restriction
One of the most impactful changes in the legislation is the removal of the long-debated “second-generation cut-off.” Under current rules, Canadians born abroad are unable to automatically transmit their citizenship to their children if those children are also born outside Canada.
This limitation has resulted in many individuals, often referred to as “lost Canadians,” discovering that they were not eligible for citizenship despite their family ties.
Canada’s immigration department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), notes that this restriction was introduced in 2009.
The provision prevented children born or adopted outside Canada from gaining citizenship by descent if their Canadian parent was also born or adopted abroad.
In December 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that key parts of this requirement were unconstitutional, paving the way for legislative reform. Bill C-3 now aims to correct these long-standing inequities.
