Overview
- Bill C-3 cleared third reading in the Senate on November 19 and now awaits royal assent and a coming-into-force date set by the Governor General.
- The legislation removes the First-Generation Limit and will restore Canadian citizenship to people previously excluded, often referred to as Lost Canadians.
- It establishes a substantial-connection requirement for future citizenship by descent, defined as at least 1,095 days of presence in Canada before a child’s birth or adoption.
- Senators rejected a proposed amendment that would have required those 1,095 days to be accumulated within a five-year period.
- Ontario Superior Court Judge Jasmine Akbarali extended the compliance deadline to January 20, 2026 and noted it is reasonably expected the replacement law could be in force before the end of 2025, with interim section 5(4) grants remaining available in the meantime.