Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates have been on the rise globally in recent months, with a surge in submissions from the United States, as per CBC News findings. The adoption of the “Lost Canadian” legislation by Parliament late last year led to a nearly 50% increase in the number of individuals receiving certificates between April 1 and May 31, based on new data obtained by CBC.
Under Bill C-3, individuals can attain citizenship by proving descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left the country generations ago. Following the enactment of Bill C-3 in mid-December, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted around 6,100 citizenship certificates to eligible applicants by May 31, up from 4,075 certificates issued until March 31.
Additionally, 17,390 people received certificates due to having a Canadian parent, a requirement that was in place before the legislation. Notably, Americans accounted for nearly half of the newly recognized citizens, with 3,110 individuals qualifying for certificates under Bill C-3 and 8,125 through having a Canadian-born parent.
Despite these numbers, the volume of pending citizenship certificate applications has seen a significant increase, with approximately 121,800 individuals awaiting decisions as of now, up from 70,400 in May. The estimated processing time for a decision has also doubled to 25 months, as of August 10, from 12 months in May.
Projections on the potential number of individuals qualifying for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3 vary widely, with the parliamentary budget officer estimating that as many as 115,000 people could be impacted by the legislative change. The surge in applications has prompted calls for increased funding for archives to meet the rising demand for genealogical records to substantiate claims for citizenship certificates.
Archivists report a notable uptick in requests for historical documents required to prove lineage for citizenship applications, placing strain on their resources. Concerns have also arisen regarding the suspension of some citizenship certificates and the potential need for additional genealogical records to address document discrepancies, leading to queries from affected individuals and calls for clarity from government officials.