Immigration news update for AMER and EMEA regions
Americas
Canada: Introduction of legislation for citizenship by descent
On December 19, 2023, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that section 8 of the Canadian Citizenship Act, commonly referred to as the “second-generation cut-off,” is unconstitutional. Starting from June 19, 2024, this rule will no longer apply. The revised criteria will now allow individuals previously excluded due to the 2009 amendments implementing the second-generation cut-off to access a pathway to Canadian citizenship.
The government has now introduced a legislation that would extend citizenship by descent beyond the first generation.
The suggested policy revision would grant Canadian citizenship automatically to individuals born overseas to a Canadian parent who was also born outside Canada. This law would further offer a direct citizenship grant to children born overseas and adopted by a Canadian parent, extending beyond the first generation. Parents born overseas who birth or adopt children also born outside Canada would need to have resided in Canada for a minimum of 1,095 cumulative days before the birth or adoption of their child to be eligible.
Bill C-71 is designed to extend citizenship to anyone born overseas to a Canadian parent and the descendants of the so-called “Lost Canadians” — individuals who either lost their citizenship or never acquired it due to outdated clauses in previous citizenship laws.
For the bill to take effect, it must be approved in Parliament and receive royal assent.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Government of Canada
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Margarida Luis (Immigration coordinator, AMER)
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Finland: Enhancements to Finland’s EU Blue Card regulations
Effective May 13, 2024, Finland has implemented changes to its EU Blue Card.
The scope of that EU Blue Card has been expanded, making it available to a broader group of highly qualified employees.
Key requirements for obtaining an EU Blue Card for Finland now include:
- Employment or assignment duration must be at least six months (previously 12 months).
- Employee salary must match or exceed the Finnish median salary (EUR 3,638 in 2024; previously 1.5 times the median salary).
- Proof of professional qualifications, either through a higher education degree (bachelor or equivalent) or relevant employment history (3–5 years of experience in the same field).
Notably, employment history now qualifies as a sufficient professional qualification, whereas previously, a bachelor’s degree or higher was required.
The EU Blue Card’s maximum validity remains two years, including any extensions If employment duration is less than two years, the card is issued for the employment period plus an additional three months, not to exceed two years.
This summary was prepared using information obtained from the Finnish Immigration Service
Disclaimer: The above information is provided for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you have any further inquiries regarding the applicability of this information, please contact Roberta Carnaccini (Global Director of Immigration) and Sabrina Crespo (Team Leader, EMEA).
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