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This article was provided by the Canadian Expat Association
On April 17th a new law will come into effect that will have a profound impact on the children of Canadian Expats. If the parents of children born outside of Canada were also born abroad, those children will no longer be entitled to gain Canadian citizenship.
The new rule was created with the intention of stopping people, with no ties nor any interest in Canada, from gaining Canadian citizenship. The effect however is that hundreds of thousands of Canadian Expats that make legitimate and significant contributions to Canada will be denied the right to pass on citizenship to their children.
Read these new rules carefully. To help you along, here is a key phrase you should look for in the section about 'Persons born or adopted outside of Canada' after the new rules go into effect:
"This means that children born in another country after the new law comes into effect will not be Canadian citizens by birth if they were born outside Canada to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada to a Canadian parent."
Here is a simple PowerPoint presentation to help illustrate where you, your children or your grandchildren might stand. Citizenship Presentation
It seems that no one is exempt from this law. To get clarity, I called Ottawa yesterday and was told that even diplomatic families will not be immune if one of the spouses was born outside of Canada. If this is indeed true (they are so confused it would seem in Ottawa) it would mean that a Canadian foreign service officer, a Canadian ambassador, indeed anyone who served Canada abroad but chose to marry a non-Canadian, may not have Canadian grandchildren!
What should you do?
First, forward this email to any Canadian you know that is currently living abroad or has children that were born outside of Canada. Forward to a Friend
Next, watch for updates. Robin Pascoe, the president of Expat Experts and I are in contact with Ottawa to get clarity. Check the website at www.thecanadianexpat.com frequently for updates.
Third, and most important: Write to the Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, right now and demand clarity and answers. His e-mail address is
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and the mailing address is The Honourable Jason Kenney, P.C.,M.P, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1. Remember this goes into affect on April 17th so write to him now! Time is of the essence.
I explain in the presentation why the government is changing the existing laws, but it is clear, that innocent fish are being caught in a net designed to close loopholes. More to come a we know it, but please, act now.
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