Ottawa, Dec. 17 -- Canada has enacted a major reform to its citizenship framework with the coming into force of Bill C-3 on December 15, 2025. The amendment to the Citizenship Act addresses long-standing grievances faced by thousands of people previously excluded from citizenship due to restrictive descent rules.

Under the new rules, Canadian parents born or adopted abroad can now pass citizenship to children born or adopted outside Canada, provided the parent demonstrates at least three years of physical presence in Canada before the child's birth or adoption.

Introduced by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) earlier this year, the bill addresses limitations in the previous system, which only allowed cit...