Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates have been increasing globally, driven by a surge in submissions from the United States, as reported by CBC News. The adoption of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament late last year led to a nearly 50% rise in the number of individuals who have obtained certificates between April 1 and May 31, according to recent data from CBC.
Under Bill C-3, individuals can now claim citizenship if they can prove descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left the country generations ago. The legislation was enacted following court rulings that deemed the previous citizenship limitations too restrictive. Since mid-December, when Bill C-3 came into force, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has granted about 6,100 citizenship certificates to eligible individuals, up from 4,075 certificates issued by March 31.
Moreover, an additional 17,390 individuals have received certificates due to having a Canadian parent, a requirement that was in place before the adoption of the bill. Notably, out of the 23,490 new Canadian citizens, nearly half are from the United States. The data reveals that 3,110 Americans qualified for citizenship certificates under Bill C-3, while 8,125 Americans were granted certificates because of a Canadian-born parent.
However, the number of pending citizenship certificate applications has surged, with approximately 121,800 individuals awaiting decisions, up from 70,400 in May. The waiting time for a decision has also increased to 25 months from 12 months in May. Estimates suggest that the changes in the law could potentially impact a significant number of individuals, with the parliamentary budget officer projecting around 115,000 people affected.
In response to the rising demand for genealogical records to support citizenship claims under Bill C-3, Canadian archivists have reported a substantial increase in requests. Requests for records that date back hundreds of years have overwhelmed archivists, particularly as many archives are now dealing with complex requests mainly from the U.S.
The Association of Canadian Archivists is advocating for increased funding to help archives cope with the heightened demand for records prompted by Bill C-3. The association highlights the challenges archivists face as IRCC’s evolving list of accepted documents complicates the process. Additionally, concerns have arisen following the suspension of around 100 issued certificates by IRCC, potentially leading to a new wave of requests for genealogical documents.
