Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates from individuals worldwide have seen a significant increase in recent months, with a surge in submissions from the United States, as per information obtained by CBC News. The implementation of Bill C-3, which allows citizenship for those proving descent from a Canadian ancestor, resulted in a nearly 50% rise in certificates issued between April 1 and May 31, compared to previous months.
Since mid-December when Bill C-3 came into effect, approximately 6,100 citizenship certificates have been granted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to those meeting the new eligibility criteria. This number marks a notable increase from the 4,075 certificates issued in the preceding period. Additionally, 17,390 individuals have obtained certificates due to having a Canadian parent, a requirement that existed before the bill’s enactment.
These certificates enable the 23,490 newly recognized Canadian citizens to apply for Canadian passports and reside and work in the country. However, they are ineligible to vote in federal elections unless they have resided in Canada at some point in their lives. Notably, Americans account for a significant portion of those recognized, with 3,110 individuals qualifying for Canadian citizenship certificates under Bill C-3 and 8,125 through having a Canadian parent.
The number of pending citizenship certificate applications has escalated, with around 121,800 individuals awaiting a decision, reflecting a substantial increase from previous months. The estimated waiting period for a decision has also doubled to 25 months as of August 10. Various estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of individuals may be eligible for Canadian citizenship under the new law, with the parliamentary budget officer estimating around 115,000 people could be impacted.
Simultaneously, archivists in Canada are experiencing a surge in requests for genealogical records needed to verify lineage for Canadian citizenship certificate applications under Bill C-3. The Association of Canadian Archivists reports a significant rise in requests, with some institutions witnessing a 100 to 300% increase. These requests, predominantly from the U.S., often involve complex searches for historical documents predating Confederation or stored in small church archives.
The association is advocating for increased funding for archives nationwide to cope with the escalating demand spurred by Bill C-3. The suspension of some issued citizenship certificates by IRCC due to document discrepancies has also raised concerns among archivists, who fear a potential influx of new requests for genealogical records. Overall, the evolving situation underscores the challenges faced by both applicants and archival institutions amidst the changing citizenship landscape in Canada.