Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates have been surging worldwide in recent months, with a significant uptick driven by numerous submissions from the United States, as per CBC News findings. The count of individuals receiving certificates under the “Lost Canadian” legislation, passed by Parliament late last year, surged by almost 50% between April 1 and May 31, based on fresh data acquired by CBC.
The enactment of Bill C-3 enables individuals to attain citizenship by proving descent from a Canadian ancestor, regardless of how many generations back that ancestor left the country. Following the implementation of the bill in mid-December, up to May 31, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) granted about 6,100 citizenship certificates to eligible individuals, marking an increase from the 4,075 certificates issued up to March 31.
Furthermore, an additional 17,390 individuals have obtained certificates due to having a Canadian parent. Previously, individuals born outside Canada needed a Canadian parent to qualify for citizenship before the bill’s adoption.
The newly recognized Canadian citizens, totaling 23,490, can now apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in Canada. Nevertheless, Elections Canada notes that they cannot vote in federal elections unless they have lived in Canada at some point.
A substantial portion of the recognized individuals, nearly half, are from the United States, with 3,110 Americans meeting the criteria for Canadian citizenship certificates under Bill C-3, and another 8,125 Americans receiving certificates because one of their parents was born in Canada.
However, the volume of pending citizenship certificate applications awaiting a decision has surged significantly. In April, approximately 56,000 applications were in the queue for processing, escalating to 70,400 in May. Presently, IRCC’s website indicates that 121,800 individuals are awaiting a decision, encompassing requests for citizenship recognition under Bill C-3 and routine replacement of lost or stolen certificates.
Simultaneously, the estimated wait time for a decision has doubled from 12 months in May to 25 months as of August 10. Varied estimates suggest that a broad range of individuals could qualify for Canadian citizenship under Bill C-3, including potentially 115,000 people affected by the legislative change, per the parliamentary budget officer’s projections.
While the demand for genealogical records to substantiate citizenship claims under Bill C-3 has surged, Canadian archivists are facing mounting challenges in fulfilling requests for the necessary records. The Association of Canadian Archivists reports a substantial rise in requests for genealogical records, with some institutions witnessing a 100 to 300% spike in inquiries, many of which originate from the United States.
Archivists are grappling with the evolving list of documents accepted by IRCC, complicating the verification process for citizenship claims. The association is advocating for increased funding for archives to meet the rising demand for records prompted by Bill C-3. The surge in requests coincided with the conclusion of the Documentary Heritage Communities program, cutting off vital funding support for smaller archives across Canada.
Concerns are mounting among archivists about a potential new wave of requests for genealogical records following the suspension of around 100 issued certificates by IRCC in June due to document-related issues. While some suspensions have been resolved and certificates restored, individuals facing suspensions have been given a grace period to submit the necessary documents. Failure to provide acceptable proof could lead to the revocation of citizenship certificates.
New Democratic Party immigration critic Jenny Kwan has raised concerns about the suspension letters affecting individuals and has called for clarity from Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab on the matter.
