Thousands of 'lost Canadians' have applied for dual citizenship - is Canada ready?
A new Canadian law allowing descendants of French-Canadians to claim citizenship has led to thousands of applications from so-called 'lost Canadians' in the United States. The law, enacted in December, aims to correct historical inequities in citizenship transmission, particularly for those born to Canadian parents abroad. However, processing delays and documentation challenges have raised concerns about the government's readiness for the influx.
- ▪Over 12,400 applications were received by Canadian immigration officials between December 15, 2025, and January 31, 2026, with 6,280 processed and 1,480 approved.
- ▪The new citizenship law allows individuals with ancestral ties to Canada to claim citizenship, not just children of Canadian citizens.
- ▪Many applicants face difficulties due to non-standardized historical records, French-language documents, and anglicized surnames.
- ▪Genealogists like Ryan Légère report being overwhelmed by demand, highlighting institutional unpreparedness for the volume of applications.
- ▪Applicants must provide official documentation, as online genealogy records alone are not accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
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Thousands of 'lost Canadians' have applied for dual citizenship - is Canada ready?Just nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleRobin Levinson-KingToronto, CanadaSubmitted photoJoe Boucher (far right) says he and his siblings (back row) learned to be proud of their French-Canadian heritage from their parents (front)As the youngest of five children, Joe Boucher learned a lot from his older brothers and sister - how to ride a bike, how to navigate the miles of forest behind their house and how to skate and play hockey. But one thing he didn't really pick up from them is how to speak French.Although both of Boucher's parents were of French-Canadian descent and spoke French with each other, it was once illegal to teach French in school in the US state of Maine, where the Bouchers lived.
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