Expanded Canadian Citizenship Rules Attract Strong Interest from Americans
Rising American Interest in Canadian Citizenship Under New Rules
By Wa Lone
TORONTO, May 30 (Reuters) - While U.S.-Canadian relations have frayed under U.S. President Donald Trump, data on Canadian citizenship approvals under recently widened rules suggests many Americans would welcome the chance to become Canadian.
Overview of the New Citizenship Rules
Under the new rules, which allow more descendants of Canadians to claim citizenship compared with just first-generation descendants previously, approvals for proof of citizenship by descent have risen by more than 1,000 per month so far this year, data from Canada's immigration agency shows.
That compares with just 275 additional approvals in December 2025, when the new law went into effect.
U.S. Applicants Lead the Increase
The data also shows that roughly 48% of the additional approvals through February originated from the U.S.
Immigration lawyers say the high percentage of Americans reflects the historically close ties between the two neighboring countries, while signaling that many Americans see Canada as an attractive place to live or study, especially given recent U.S. political uncertainty.
Personal Stories: Seeking Options in Canada
"The biggest thing is it gives our family options," said William Hunnewell, a 41-year-old based in Seattle who applied earlier this year and expects a response in nine months to a year. His great-grandfather was a homesteader in Saskatchewan before World War One and his grandfather was born in Canada.
"If my kid wants to study or live in Canada, she can just go — there's no visa, no deadlines," he said.
Motivations Behind the Surge
Most new citizens approved under the law will likely remain abroad but many want to keep their options open, said Nick Berning, a U.S.-based immigration lawyer.
"Current interest in Canadian citizenship is definitely influenced by U.S. politics," Berning said. "They want to stay in the U.S., but if things become untenable, they want a way out."
Political divisions have deepened in the U.S., where polls show growing dissatisfaction with the Trump administration.
Ties between the U.S. and Canada have also grown tense since Trump imposed stiff tariffs on Canadian goods and talked of annexing Canada as the 51st state.
Statistics and Legal Background
Canadian approvals this year under the newly established category for proof of citizenship totaled 1,140 in January, 1,255 in February and 1,405 in March, according to data that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provided to Reuters.
Canada's new citizenship law responded to a 2023 court ruling that found limiting citizenship to the first generation born abroad was unconstitutional.
Implications for Future Generations
People who have lived outside Canada for generations can now be considered citizens if they can prove descent. That is in sharp contrast with Canadian government efforts in recent years to lower immigration targets.
Berning noted, however, that new citizens who have never lived in Canada cannot pass citizenship on indefinitely to children born abroad.
(Reporting by Wa Lone; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Edmund Klamann)
