Ottawa-Canada has taken an important step toward modernizing its citizenship laws. Canadians excluded under outdated rules will have a fair, clear way to pass citizenship on to their children born or adopted outside Canada.
Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025), has received royal assent. This represents an important milestone in making the Citizenship Act more inclusive, while maintaining the value of Canadian citizenship.
Once the new law comes into force, Canadian citizenship will be provided to people born before the bill comes into force, who would have been citizens if not for the first-generation limit or other outdated rules of past legislation.
The new law will also create a modern, consistent path going forward. A Canadian parent born or adopted abroad will be able to pass citizenship on to their child born or adopted outside Canada on or after the date the bill comes into force, provided they have a substantial connection to Canada. This approach supports fairness for families while reinforcing the principle that real, demonstrated ties to Canada guide citizenship by descent.
The bill will come into force on a date set by order in council, which will be communicated publicly. Until then, the interim measure remains in place for people impacted by the first‑generation limit.
