“Lost Canadians” citizenship bill now in place

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“Canada will now extend automatic citizenship to children born or adopted abroad to a Canadian parent also born outside the country. There are conditions to the ‘Lost Canadian’ rules that came into effect on Monday – the Canadian parent must show a substantial connection’ to the country by having spent at least three years there prior to their child’s birth or adoption. ‘Lost Canadians’ refers to people who lost or never acquired citizenship because of what Ottawa deemed ‘outdated provisions’ of its citizenship laws. The changes on Monday stem from a 2023 Ontario court decision that ruled parts of the law limiting citizenship by descent were unconstitutional. The court ruling came after the federal government under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper passed a law in 2009 that removed the automatic right to citizenship for descendants of Canadians born abroad.” (12/16/25)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgkj8gpkgwo