Canada Set to Enforce New Citizenship Law, Major Relief for Indian-Origin Families

New Delhi: Canada is about to make a major change to its citizenship law. The new Bill C-3 has now received Royal Assent, formally approving the law's entry into force. This new rule will soon come into effect and directly benefit thousands of Indian-origin families whose children were previously denied citizenship.

What was the old rule and why was the problem growing?

In 2009, Canada imposed a restriction called the "first-generation limit." Under this restriction, if a Canadian citizen was born or adopted outside Canada and their child was also born abroad, that child would not receive Canadian citizenship. Because of this, children of Indian-origin parents living in other countries for work or education were denied citizenship. Thousands of families were affected.

What does Bill C-3 change?

After the new system is implemented, children who were previously denied citizenship due to this limitation will also be able to obtain citizenship. Parents who were born abroad will be able to pass citizenship to their foreign-born child. The condition is that the parents must have a "substantive connection" to Canada. This change has been made keeping in mind modern families and the global working environment.

A major court decision was also important

On December 19, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court ruled that the "first-generation limit" was unconstitutional and unfair to children. The Canadian government did not appeal this decision and acknowledged that the old rule was harming many families.

When will the new law come into effect?

Canada's Immigration Minister, Lena Metlej-Diab, stated that the new law will eliminate old discrimination and introduce clearer rules. The implementation date has not yet been announced, but the government will announce it soon. Until then, interim arrangements will continue for those affected by the old rule.

What impact will this have on India-Canada relations?

This change comes at a time when relations between India and Canada have been strained in recent months. However, following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G20 Summit, this decision sends a positive signal. It is believed that this move will increase the confidence of the Indian diaspora and strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries.