Canadian Citizenship Act 1946

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Canadian citizenship

Canadian nationality laws
Canadian nationality law Canadian Citizenship Act 1946 History of Canadian nationality law
Classes of citizens
Canadian citizen Permanent resident Honorary citizenship Refugee Commonwealth citizen
Related topics
Oath of citizenship Citizenship and Immigration Canada Immigration to Canada Passport Canada Lost Canadians "Canadians of convenience"

The Canadian Citizenship Act is an Act of the Government of Canada, which came into effect on January 1, 1947, recognizing the definition of a Canadian, including reference to them being British subjects.

[edit] History

British & Commonwealth citizenship

Commonwealth nationality laws
British (history) Australian Barbadian Canadian (history) Indian Malaysian Maltese New Zealand Samoan Singaporean South African Tongan Irish citizens in the UK
Classes of citizens and subjects
British citizen British subject British Overseas Territories citizen British Overseas citizen British National (Overseas) British protected person Commonwealth citizen
Rights and visas
Right of abode Indefinite leave to remain Permanent resident (Australia) Permanent resident (Canada) Belonger status UK Ancestry Entry Clearance
Acts
Ireland Act 1949 British Nationality Act 1981 Falkland Islands (1983) Overseas Territories Act 2002 Canadian Citizenship Act 1946

Before 1947, there was no legal existence of Canadian citizenship. The first act to deal with Canadian identity was the Immigration Act of 1910, but it was merely to facilitate government desire to populate Western Canada. The Naturalization Act of 1914 and the Canadian Nationals Act of 1921 provided a limited definition of a Canadian nationals and was made necessary to allow Canada to participate in the League of Nations and membership in the International Court of Justice.

The act also repealed numerous anti-immigration acts enacted in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

This act was superseded on February 15, 1977 by a new Citizenship Act which, with various amendments, is still in force. One of the most significant changes to Canadian law in the current Citizenship Act is that dual Canadian/other citizenship — generally banned prior to 1977 — has become permissible with essentially no restrictions.

Other related acts: