Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates from individuals worldwide have surged in recent months, with a notable increase in submissions from the United States, as per information obtained by CBC News. Following the enactment of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament late last year, the number of individuals granted certificates surged by almost 50% between April 1 and May 31, based on data from CBC.
Under Bill C-3, individuals can obtain citizenship by demonstrating descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor emigrated from Canada several generations ago. The legislation was implemented after courts deemed the previous citizenship restrictions too limiting. From mid-December to May 31, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted approximately 6,100 citizenship certificates to eligible individuals under the new rules.
In comparison, prior to the legislation, only those born outside Canada with a Canadian parent could qualify for citizenship. A total of 17,390 individuals have since received certificates due to having a Canadian parent.
The newly issued certificates enable the 23,490 recognized Canadian citizens to apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in Canada. However, they are ineligible to vote in federal elections unless they have resided in Canada at some point.
Around half of the individuals who obtained certificates between mid-December and the end of May hail from the United States. Specifically, 3,110 Americans qualified for Canadian citizenship certificates under Bill C-3, while an additional 8,125 received certificates because of having a Canadian-born parent.
Despite the significant increase in granted certificates, a substantial backlog of citizenship certificate applications awaits processing. The number of pending applications surged from 56,000 in April to 70,400 in May, reaching 121,800 by the latest update on the IRCC website. Consequently, the estimated waiting time for a decision has doubled to 25 months as of August 10.
Estimates suggest a wide range of individuals may qualify for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3, with historical migration patterns indicating a potential impact on hundreds of thousands of descendants of Canadian emigrants. The parliamentary budget officer projected that approximately 115,000 individuals could be affected by the legislative change.
While IRCC anticipates managing the increasing demand efficiently, archivists in Canada are experiencing a sharp rise in requests for genealogical records essential for proving ancestry for citizenship certificate applications. The surge in requests, primarily from the U.S., is straining archival resources and may necessitate additional funding to cope with the growing demand.