Received A Bill C-3 Clawback Letter? Here's What You Need To Know

What is Bill C-3?

Bill C-3, which came into force on December 15, 2025, brought a change to Canada's Citizenship Act, RSC 1985, c C-29 to expand who can obtain Canadian citizenship by descent. The legislation was passed in response to an Ontario Superior Court of Justice decision that found parts of the previous citizenship rules were unconstitutional.

Before Bill C-3, Canadian citizenship could generally only be passed on to the first generation born outside Canada. This meant that a Canadian citizen born or naturalized in Canada could pass citizenship to a child born abroad, but that child could not pass citizenship on to his or her own children if those children were also born outside Canada.