The changes to Canada’s first-generation limit (FGL) have been delayed. Its deadline, supposedly on June 19, 2024, has been moved to August 9, 2024, as per the Ontario Supreme Court. However, according to a spokesperson at the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the decision may warrant an extension until December.
Under the FGL rule, any child from a Canadian parent/parents born outside the country, will not automatically receive Canadian citizenship. Ontario’s Supreme Court ordered the federal government to amend the FGL rule, as it’s deemed unconstitutional due to its “lesser class of citizenship”. They set the deadline to June 19, 2024, but this hasn’t been achieved. Instead, the federal government set the deadline to August, which can still be extended until December, this year.
In a confirmed statement from the CTV news, a spokesperson from Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated that a proper hearing will happen on August 1, 2024, to determine if an extension for a few more months might be appropriate. Instead of June, the federal government might announce the changes in December. The Judge handling the case also asked for the report regarding the progress of implementing Bill C-71, scheduled to be passed on December 19, 2024.
What is the Bill C-71?
Bill C-71 is the proposed Act amending the FGL ruling about Canada’s Citizenship Act, which was implemented in 2009. When accepted, the bill becomes an Act, granting citizenship to eligible foreign nationals whose parents are Canadians or have substantial connection to Canada. Those impacted by the FGL ruling will also be considered. Having a substantial connection means one or both parents have lived in Canada for at least three years of 1,095 days before the birth of the legitimate or adopted child.
