Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates have surged globally in recent months, with a notable increase coming from the United States, as per findings by CBC News. The adoption of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament last year has resulted in a nearly 50% rise in the number of people obtaining certificates between April 1 and May 31, according to recent data from CBC.
The newly enacted Bill C-3 enables individuals to attain citizenship by proving their lineage to a Canadian ancestor, regardless of how many generations back that ancestor left the country. The legislation was introduced following court rulings that deemed the previous citizenship limitations too restrictive.
Since mid-December when Bill C-3 took effect, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has granted around 6,100 citizenship certificates to eligible individuals, up from 4,075 certificates issued from mid-December to March 31. Additionally, 17,390 individuals have received certificates under the provision of having a Canadian parent.
The issued certificates empower the 23,490 newly recognized Canadian citizens to apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in the country. However, they are ineligible to vote in federal elections unless they have resided in Canada at some point in their lives.
A significant portion of those recognized between mid-December and the end of May hail from the U.S., with 3,110 Americans qualifying for Canadian citizenship certificates through Bill C-3, and another 8,125 through having a Canadian-born parent.
The number of pending citizenship certificate applications has skyrocketed, reaching 121,800 individuals awaiting decisions, up from 70,400 in May. The estimated processing time for a decision has doubled to 25 months as of August 10, from 12 months in May.
Estimates suggest a wide range of individuals may be eligible for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3, with historical migration patterns potentially impacting hundreds of thousands. The parliamentary budget officer approximates that 115,000 people could be affected by the legislative change.
Despite initial expectations of modest application volumes post-Bill C-3 implementation, the surge in applications has prompted IRCC to adapt its operations to manage the influx efficiently and maintain program integrity. The demand for genealogical records required for proving lineage has surged, overwhelming Canadian archivists and prompting calls for increased funding to cope with the workload.