New decisions scheduled to be implemented in the coming period require granting Canadian citizenship to some children born outside Canada.
Canadian Immigration Minister introduces new legislation
Many news agencies reported that Mark Miller, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, had introduced new legislation granting Canadian citizenship to some children born abroad of Canadian origin.
Canadian parents cannot pass their citizenship to their children born abroad
It is worth noting that the Canadian Conservative government changed the law in 2009, according to which Canadian parents who were born abroad cannot transfer their citizenship to their children born outside Canada.
Thousands were stripped of their Canadian citizenship
It is also worth noting that the previous amendments, which took place in 1977 and 2009, and after the amendments made to the law, thousands of people born abroad were stripped of their right to obtain Canadian citizenship.
Missing Canadians
The name “Missing Canadians” was given to these people who were unable to obtain citizenship rights, due to recent amendments approved by the Canadian government at this time.
The current system creates two categories of Canadians
It is also worth noting that the current system creates two categories of Canadians, and some described it as unconstitutional, and this was also confirmed by the Ontario Supreme Court, and accordingly the federal government was given a deadline to fix the problem until June 19.
Can a foreign national be a Canadian citizen?
There are 3 main ways to obtain Canadian citizenship, which include economic programs, family sponsorship and naturalization, but in general it is possible to apply in one of the following ways:
1- Birthright citizenship
Canada is considered one of the few countries that follows the principle of jus soli, which means “right of soil.” Accordingly, any person born within Canadian borders is urged to obtain Canadian citizenship automatically at birth, and it is called “right of birth citizenship.”
2- Canadian citizenship based on descent
It is intended for people who were born outside Canada and one of the parents was a Canadian citizen, but this decision concerns only the first generation born outside Canada, and does not extend to the next generation, and this is the law that was recently amended, which we talk about in this article, with the necessity of following the standards. next:
- One of the parents must be Canadian at birth.
- Provide proof of Canadian citizenship for parents.
- Canadian citizenship has never been renounced.
- Other criteria such as language skills and a clean criminal record are imposed.
3- Those who have naturalized Canadian citizenship
It is for permanent residents of Canada, but subject to specific conditions, such as language proficiency, length of residence, and passing a citizenship exam.
It is necessary to submit tax records, language certificate, and evidence of permanent residence, after which the document review process takes place, which usually takes a year.
Advantages of obtaining Canadian citizenship
Canadian citizenship includes many advantages, due to the countless benefits that allow its holder to access quality health care and education, but in general the advantages of Canadian citizenship are as follows:
- Safety, luxury, and low crime rates, making it a safe haven for its citizens.
- The right to vote in federal and regional elections.
- Possibility of family reunification.
- A Canadian passport gives you flexibility in travel, as a Canadian passport allows you to access more than 180 countries without a visa or obtaining a visa on arrival.
- Access to quality education starting from primary school to higher education levels.
- Diverse recruitment and exploration of broad job sectors and industries.
- Access to free and low-cost healthcare, without any financial stress.
