Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates have surged globally in recent months, with a significant increase in submissions from the United States, as per findings from CBC News. The number of individuals who have been granted certificates following the enactment of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament late last year has risen by almost 50% between April 1 and May 31, based on fresh data acquired by CBC.
The implementation of Bill C-3 enables individuals to claim citizenship if they can demonstrate descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left the country several generations ago. This legislation was introduced after courts deemed the previous restriction of citizenship to the first generation born outside of Canada too limiting.
From the time Bill C-3 took effect in mid-December until May 31, around 6,100 citizenship certificates have been issued by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to those meeting the new criteria. This marks a notable increase from the 4,075 certificates issued in the earlier period from mid-December to March 31. Additionally, 17,390 individuals have received certificates due to having a Canadian parent, a requirement that was mandatory before the bill’s enactment.
These certificates grant the newly recognized Canadian citizens eligibility to apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in the country. Nonetheless, Elections Canada stipulates that they cannot participate in federal elections unless they have resided in Canada at some stage of their life.
A substantial portion of the newly recognized citizens, approximately 23,490 individuals, are from the United States. Of these, 3,110 Americans qualify for Canadian citizenship certificates under Bill C-3, while an additional 8,125 Americans have been granted certificates because one of their parents was born in Canada.
However, the surge in applications for citizenship certificates awaiting processing is significant. The number of pending applications climbed from around 56,000 in April to 70,400 in May, and currently stands at 121,800, as per information on IRCC’s website. The estimated processing time for a decision has also doubled from 12 months in May to 25 months as of August 10.
The potential number of individuals eligible for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3 varies widely, with some estimates suggesting that hundreds of thousands of Canadians who migrated to the U.S. over a century ago could be affected. The parliamentary budget officer has projected that approximately 115,000 individuals could be impacted by the legislative change.
Despite initial expectations of moderate application volumes following the enactment of Bill C-3, the surge in submissions has prompted IRCC to enhance its processing capabilities while ensuring program integrity. There have been calls for increased funding for archives across Canada to cope with the heightened demand for genealogical records necessitated by the legislation. Archivists are experiencing a significant influx of requests, particularly from the U.S., which has strained their resources and led to delays in fulfilling other reference inquiries.
