Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

From today's Throne Speech:

"To strengthen and protect the value of Canadian citizenship, our Government will introduce the first comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act in more than a generation."

Any idea what they are up to?

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

Nope they have also promised reforms to the temporary foreign workers as well but details are scarce though some suggest that Canada will move towards an expression of interest system like NZ and Australia (thanks PMM)
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resourc...2/interest.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm.../eis/index.asp
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/departm...2012-06-26.asp

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

Last I heard they were talking about clarifying the grant of citizenship as the caselaw is very complicated and there are three different methods a citizenship judge can use in determining whether or not citizenship should be granted. There have been calls for a long time for the legislation to be clarified, so that's what they're doing. It doesn't really make any practical difference to the average applicant, they're talking about marginal cases or where citizenship has been revoked and the person appeals.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

They've still got to get past the resistance from trade organizations.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

It would not be surprising to see one/both of the following:

1. Increase the residence requirement from 3 to 5 years; and
2. Require that in future, children born in Canada only get automatic Canadian citizenship if at least one parent is a Canadian citizen/PR.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

If we do see an amendment to the Citizenship Act, how long would it take for it to become law?

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

Depends how quickly they want it enacted. Depending what the amendments are it could be a matter of months or years and contain grandfathering clauses.
I guess we will have to wait for the announcement and then it has to make its way through Parliament and the Senate. Are they amending the Act or the Regulations as amending the Regs is easier than the Act.

Perhaps we will see something for those who work for Canadian companies and spend time out of the country on these jobs and cannot meet the 1095 days residency obligation such as truck drivers etc but maintain a residence in Canada with other family members who stay in Canada.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

I can well understand that there should perhaps be reforms, but there does seem to be a something of a backlog with the Citizenship applications. I really can't see why it couldn't make it easier for certain categories of applicants to be dealt with faster. If you have married a Canadian and been with them, wherever, for a long period of time, it seems unreasonable that you should then wait for ages and ages after you have been here for three years because they have a mountain of applications.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

We qualified for citizenship in August 2002. We had our citizenship ceremony in March 2003. I don't think there are significantly more citizenship applications now than then. What there has been is political interference to "improve" CIC. aka Jason Kenny.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

It should be increased to at least 10 maybe longer. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

1. OK but what's the point of that? It's just feeding prejudice among the knee-jerk conservative core.

2. Surprised? No, nothing this lot does is surprising anymore. But again I can't see the point of excluding children of TWP holders. Having a kid here while you're on TWP doesn't make a jot of difference to a subsequent PR or eventual citizenship application. There may be the odd case of pregnant folk coming as visitors with intent, but is it really worth the trouble to pervert a principle to deal with that?

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

The reason people are getting referred to judges so often is because of people having to document their absences from Canada, there has been a crackdown to prevent fraud.

I think it would be better doing it the US way, i.e. you provide evidence of your presence, tax returns, etc. I.e. reverse the onus.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

To do it the US way, i.e. you prove you've been in the country at least 183 days a year for the last five years rather than the current three out of four year method which requires you to list every trip abroad, which is crap.

What they're on about is "birth tourism", people who come to Canada briefly and have a kid and then go back home. It wouldn't affect people on work permits.

The UK already did this.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

1. should be 7 at least.

2. should be citizen only.

I keep hoping.

Re: Comprehensive reforms to the Citizenship Act
 

Are you sure you'd want to live in a country with a hereditary underclass?