US Joins Italy, UK, France, Japan, Australia and Others as New Citizenship Rule Kicks Off Opening Doors to Canadians Living Abroad: Everything You Need to Know

Published on December 16, 2025

By: Rana Pratap

Canada’s new Bill C-3, which addresses out-of-date regulations that restricted this privilege, benefits the US, Italy, UK, France, Japan, Australia, and other countries. It permits over 2.4 million Canadians in the US to grant citizenship to children born overseas. A momentous shift in Canadian citizenship legislation began on December 15, 2025, with the implementation of Bill C-3. In a significant change from the previous legislation, this new rule permits Canadians residing overseas to transfer their citizenship to children born abroad. In the past, it was difficult for Canadian parents who lived abroad to grant their children citizenship, particularly for those who were born outside. The new law eliminates this obstacle, bringing Canada into line with nations that have long had comparable citizenship laws, such as the US, UK, France, Japan, and Australia. For the more than 2.4 million Canadians who reside in the US, this reform is especially important because it makes it easier for them to pass on their Canadian history to future generations.

This reform provides clarity and fairness for Canadian families abroad, ensuring that children born outside Canada can claim citizenship, as long as the Canadian parent meets a three-year residency requirement. For many, this change brings a long-awaited sense of belonging and connection to their homeland, no matter where they are in the world.

So, what does this all mean for you? Let’s dive in and break down how these new rules are going to change the game for Canadians abroad, how the law works, and why it’s such a significant win for Canadian families around the world.

What’s the Big Deal About Bill C-3?

Before Bill C-3, Canadian citizenship rules were outdated, especially when it came to Canadians who were born abroad or lived outside the country. The previous law had a first-generation rule, which limited how Canadians living abroad could pass down their citizenship. If you were a Canadian citizen born abroad, you couldn’t always pass that citizenship onto your children unless certain strict conditions were met.

For decades, Canadians abroad and their families have struggled with this limitation. The new law, however, clears the way for a much simpler and fairer process.

Bill C-3 changes all that by making it easier for Canadian parents living abroad to pass on their Canadian citizenship to their children, regardless of where those children are born. All the parent has to do is prove they lived in Canada for at least three years before their child’s birth or adoption.

It’s about time. As Canada moves into 2025 and beyond, it’s recognizing that many of its citizens now live globally and that real ties to Canada, not just birthplace, should determine citizenship. This is a huge win for Canadian families abroad who have felt disconnected from their homeland.

A Global Perspective: Why Does This Matter?

Canada has a massive diaspora spread across the world. According to Statistics Canada, over 4 million Canadians were living abroad in 2016, and that number is only expected to rise. This includes Canadians in the US, the UK, Australia, France, and even places like China and Lebanon. With Canada’s new law, those 4 million Canadians—and their families—will benefit from simplified citizenship rules.

Here’s a fun fact: 60% of Canadians abroad live in the United States. That’s 2.4 million people right there. In 2017, 893,000 Canadian citizens were living in the US alone. Add in Canadians in the UK, Australia, and France, and you’re looking at a huge population of people with deep ties to Canada who were often excluded from the Canadian citizenship process due to outdated rules.

But Bill C-3 changes everything. Now, children born to Canadian citizens abroad can automatically claim Canadian citizenship, as long as the Canadian parent meets the requirement of three years of residency in Canada prior to the child’s birth or adoption.

This is a game-changer, especially for the children of Canadians living abroad, many of whom had no clear path to Canadian citizenship in the past.

How Does the New Law Work?

The new rules aren’t just about citizenship by descent. They’re about fairness and consistency for Canadian families living abroad. Under Bill C-3, if you’re a Canadian citizen living in the US, Australia, or anywhere else, you can now pass on your citizenship to your child born or adopted outside of Canada, provided you meet the following:

1. You were a Canadian citizen at the time of your child’s birth or adoption.
2. You lived in Canada for at least three years before your child’s birth or adoption.

So, if you’re a Canadian living in, say, the US and your child is born in New York, they can now claim Canadian citizenship as long as you, the parent, can prove you lived in Canada for three years prior to the child’s birth.

What Does This Mean for Canadians Abroad?

This new law offers clarity and fairness to Canadians living abroad and their families. For years, Canadian families abroad have struggled to maintain ties with their homeland because their children were excluded from Canadian citizenship. But now, the process has become more transparent and inclusive.

If you were born abroad before December 15, 2025, and you were excluded from Canadian citizenship due to the first-generation rule, you can now apply for proof of Canadian citizenship. For many, this moment has been long awaited. It’s about reaffirming ties to Canada and feeling a deep sense of belonging.

The Canadian Diaspora: A Look at the Numbers

As mentioned earlier, over 4 million Canadians live abroad, and that number is expected to grow as migration patterns shift and Canadians look for work or better opportunities outside their homeland.

• 60% of Canadians abroad live in the US (around 893,000 people in 2017).
• The UK is home to about 91,500 Canadians.
• Australia has around 56,650 Canadians.
• France has about 26,100 Canadians.
• Italy has around 25,900 Canadians.

These numbers are huge, and Bill C-3 is going to impact a significant portion of the Canadian diaspora, particularly those in the US, UK, Australia, and France. The new citizenship rules allow them to pass on citizenship to their children born abroad, making it easier to stay connected to Canada for future generations.

The Benefits: A More Connected Canada

This is about more than just citizenship—it’s about belonging. Bill C-3 gives Canadians abroad the opportunity to feel a sense of connection to the Canadian family, even if they’ve been living outside the country for generations.

The law will affect millions of Canadians and their children, allowing families to stay connected in a globalized world. Whether you’re a Canadian living in the US, France, or even China, Bill C-3 makes it easier to pass on Canadian citizenship to your children, giving them a sense of belonging that many have longed for.

What About Future Generations?

It’s not just about today’s Canadians living abroad. Bill C-3 ensures that future generations of Canadians living abroad will have a much clearer path to Canadian citizenship. If you’re living in the US and your child is born there, you no longer have to worry about complicated rules to pass on Canadian citizenship.

Now, as long as you’ve met the three-year residency requirement, your children will have access to Canadian citizenship, regardless of where they’re born. This is a huge win for families with deep Canadian roots but living abroad.

Starting December 15, 2025, Bill C-3 allows Canadians living abroad, including over 2.4 million in the US, to pass on citizenship to children born outside Canada, joining countries like the US, UK, France, Japan, and Australia in benefiting from Canada’s more inclusive citizenship policy.

Conclusion: A Historic Shift in Canadian Citizenship Laws

So, what does all this mean? Bill C-3 is a game-changer for millions of Canadians living abroad. It simplifies the process of passing on Canadian citizenship to children born or adopted outside of Canada, and it makes the system fairer and more reflective of modern Canadian families.

With this reform, Canada is joining countries like the US, UK, France, and Australia in embracing citizenship by descent, ensuring that expatriates and their families stay connected to their roots, no matter where they live.

Bill C-3 isn’t just a legal change—it’s about making sure Canadians abroad feel connected, valued, and included. Whether you’re living in the US, Australia, or any other country, this new law ensures that Canadian citizenship is within reach for you and your family, no matter where you call home.