Demand for Canadian Citizenship Certificates Soars, Fueled by U.S. Applicants
Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates are rapidly increasing, with a significant surge attributed to applicants from the United States. This heightened demand follows the adoption of Bill C-3, also known as the "Lost Canadian" legislation, which went into effect in mid-December. This law allows individuals to claim Canadian citizenship if they can prove descent from a Canadian ancestor, even if that ancestor left Canada several generations ago. Previously, citizenship was generally limited to those with a Canadian parent born outside the country. As a result of Bill C-3, 6,100 citizenship certificates were granted between mid-December and May 31, with an additional 17,390 granted to those with a Canadian parent. Americans account for nearly half of these newly recognized citizens, with 3,110 qualifying under Bill C-3 and 8,125 due to having a Canadian parent. The backlog of applications has exploded, rising from 56,000 in April to 121,800 currently, causing estimated wait times for a decision ... 
