A surge in applications for Canadian citizenship certificates from individuals worldwide, driven largely by a significant number of submissions from the United States, has been observed in recent months, as per information obtained by CBC News.
Following the enactment of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament late last year, the issuance of certificates to eligible individuals has escalated by almost 50% between April 1 and May 31, based on fresh data disclosed by CBC.
Under Bill C-3, individuals proving descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if several generations removed, can obtain citizenship, overturning the previous restriction limited to the first generation born outside Canada after courts deemed it excessively strict.
From mid-December, when Bill C-3 became effective, to May 31, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted about 6,100 citizenship certificates to those now meeting the criteria, a notable increase from the 4,075 certificates issued between mid-December and the end of March.
Additionally, 17,390 people have acquired certificates due to having a Canadian parent, a requirement that existed before the bill’s passage, mandating those born outside Canada to have a Canadian parent for citizenship eligibility.
Significant Increase in Demand
These certificates enable the 23,490 newly acknowledged Canadian citizens to apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in the country, although they are ineligible to vote in federal elections unless they have resided in Canada at some point.
Approximately half of the individuals recognized between mid-December and the end of May are born in the U.S. Data from IRCC reveals that 3,110 Americans are eligible for Canadian citizenship certificates under Bill C-3, while 8,125 have obtained certificates due to having a Canadian-born parent.
Nonetheless, these figures represent only a fraction of the total pending citizenship certificate applications. In April, there were approximately 56,000 pending applications, soaring to 70,400 by May and further to 121,800 currently awaiting a decision, ranging from claims under Bill C-3 to routine requests for replacement certificates.
Simultaneously, the estimated processing time has doubled from 12 months in May to 25 months as of August 10, causing delays in application decisions.
Estimates on the potential number of individuals qualifying for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3 vary significantly, with historical migrations from Canada to the U.S. in the 1800s and 1900s suggesting hundreds of thousands could be affected by the law change.
The parliamentary budget officer has projected that around 115,000 individuals might be impacted by the legislative amendment.
Despite initial expectations of modest application volumes following the implementation of Bill C-3, the surge in applications prompted Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab to prepare in advance for the influx and streamline application processing without compromising program integrity.
IRCC remains vigilant in monitoring application trends to adapt operations efficiently, maintain stringent document requirements, and enhance clarity on the application process through accessible information channels.
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