Canadian Immigration has implemented new regulations regarding the citizenship of children born offshore.

The amendments to the Citizenship Act state that only children born outside of Canada to first generation Canadian citizens will qualify for automatic citizenship. 

Prior to the changes, children born offshore to Canadian citizens of the second and third generations could automatically qualify for citizenship.

The new law is set to come into effect on 17 April 2009, at which point the old law will become dormant, meaning that children born to second and third generation Canadian citizens will no longer be automatically qualified to apply for citizenship, even if they were born before 17 April 2009.

Therefore, all children born offshore to Canadian parents who also obtained citizenship via offshore birth will need to lodge their applications before April.