Yes. Canada does give citizenship by birth on its soil, and it does so automatically. Under section 3 of the Citizenship Act, anyone born in Canada after February 14, 1977, is a Canadian citizen from the moment of birth, whatever the parents’ nationality or immigration status.1Government of Canada. Citizenship Act – Section 3 Only one narrow exception applies, and it concerns children of foreign diplomats.
The Rule: Born in Canada, Citizen at Birth
Canadian citizenship law follows jus soli, Latin for “right of the soil.” A baby born on Canadian territory is Canadian. It doesn’t matter whether the parents are citizens, permanent residents, tourists, international students, temporary foreign workers, refugee claimants, or people without any status at all. The child’s citizenship attaches at birth and doesn’t need to be applied for.1Government of Canada. Citizenship Act – Section 3
The current rule has been in place since February 15, 1977. People born in Canada before that date are also citizens if they held citizenship under the previous Canadian Citizenship Act, which the current law preserved automatically.1Government of Canada. Citizenship Act – Section 3
The Diplomat Exception
The Citizenship Act carves out one situation where a Canadian birth does not produce a Canadian citizen. A child born in Canada is not a citizen if, at the time of birth, both of the following are true:
- Neither parent was a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and
- At least one parent was a foreign diplomatic or consular officer, another representative or employee of a foreign government in Canada, an employee in the service of such a representative, or an officer or employee of a UN specialized agency or other international organization in Canada holding equivalent diplomatic privileges.
Both conditions have to be satisfied. If even one parent is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, the child is Canadian regardless of the other parent’s diplomatic role.1Government of Canada. Citizenship Act – Section 3 The exception is worded tightly and, in practice, affects very few births each year. Ordinary work permits, study permits, and visitor visas are nowhere near this category. A child born to a parent on a temporary work visa is a Canadian citizen; a child born to an accredited foreign ambassador with no Canadian ties is not.
Proving the Child’s Citizenship
Citizenship exists from birth, but you still need a document to show for it. For a child born in Canada, the provincial or territorial birth certificate is the usual proof. The federal government itself says a birth certificate from the province or territory of birth “should be enough to prove Canadian citizenship.”2Government of Canada. Apply for a Canadian Citizenship Certificate: Who Can Apply
Getting a Passport for a Newborn
Parents planning to travel don’t need to wait for anything beyond the birth certificate. A provincial or territorial birth certificate is accepted as proof of citizenship on a child’s passport application.3Government of Canada. Documents to Submit When Applying for a Child’s Passport Since 2024, child passport applications also require proof of parentage along with any legal documents related to custody or decision-making responsibilities for the child.
Applying for a Citizenship Certificate
A formal federal citizenship certificate is optional for people born in Canada, but some families want one, particularly if the child was born to non-citizen parents and might later need to demonstrate status without a birth certificate on hand. The application uses Form CIT 0001, submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada online or by mail, with a fee of $75 CAD.4Government of Canada. Application for a Citizenship Certificate (CIT 0001)5Government of Canada. Pay Your Application Fees Online
Does the Child Have To Choose Between Citizenships?
No. Canada recognizes dual and multiple citizenship without restriction. A child born in Canada who also acquires citizenship in another country through a parent keeps both, as far as Canadian law is concerned.6Government of Canada. Dual Citizens
The other country’s rules are a separate matter. Some countries don’t recognize dual citizenship, and some impose obligations on their citizens (military service, tax filing) regardless of where they live. When the child later travels to a country where they also hold citizenship, that country may treat them solely as its own citizen and limit Canadian consular access if problems arise.6Government of Canada. Dual Citizens The Canadian side of the arrangement, though, is simple: no forced choice, no renunciation required.
A Note on Children Born Abroad to Canadian Parents
Birth on Canadian soil and citizenship by descent are two different tracks. If the child is not born in Canada but has a Canadian parent, citizenship may still pass to them, but different rules apply and those rules changed on December 15, 2025 with the coming into force of Bill C-3.7Government of Canada. Change to Citizenship Rules in 2025 Anyone in that situation should look at the descent rules specifically rather than assume the birthright rule covers them.