Immigration Minister orders probe into 'lost Canadian' citizenship recalls

Canada's immigration department has suspended citizenship certificates for a group of individuals, dubbed 'lost Canadians,' who obtained citizenship by descent. The affected individuals received letters indicating potential issues with their genealogy records, despite having already been approved for citizenship.

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I have instructed the department the second I found out there was something, I wasn’t sure what it was, to investigate.

Immigration Minister Lena Diab stated that she has instructed the department to investigate the matter immediately upon learning of the situation. She confirmed that no new applications are being finalized and all current applications are undergoing review. Those deemed to be in order will have their citizenship confirmed.

The issue affects individuals born before December 15, 2025, who claimed Canadian citizenship through a provable direct ancestor under a new law. The department has indicated that the emails went to "a few dozen" people. All 4,100 successful citizenship claims made under this new law are now being reviewed as part of the investigation.

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So I can clearly tell you that at this point we are not finalizing any new applications and all applications are being reviewed. Those that are deemed to be OK are being told you’re fine.

Some individuals who had already received passports based on their citizenship certificates have been told to surrender them, as they are no longer considered valid. However, Minister Diab assured that people who received citizenship proof and have moved to Canada still retain their status and ability to work while the review is ongoing. She emphasized the seriousness with which the government is treating the issue and committed to providing clarity to Canadians.

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We are taking this seriously and we will review it and take the time that we need, ensuring that we will be clear with Canadians.