Canada announced major changes to Express Entry on October 16, 2026. The system selects skilled workers for permanent residence, and the new rules will place greater importance on high-wage Canadian job offers and Canadian work experience from November 3.
For Americans considering Canadian citizenship, these changes may raise concerns about whether moving to Canada will become more difficult. The answer depends on their circumstances. Skilled workers without a qualifying job offer or Canadian work experience may face a more competitive route to permanent residence.
However, Americans with Canadian ancestry may have another option. Changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act took effect in December 2025, allowing many people with Canadian ancestors to claim citizenship without going through the immigration process.
What The Changes Mean For Americans Seeking Citizenship?
Americans interested in obtaining a second passport generally have two routes to Canadian citizenship: immigrating to Canada and becoming a citizen through naturalization, or claiming citizenship through a Canadian ancestor.
The naturalization route usually begins with permanent residence. For many skilled workers, Express Entry is one way to obtain it. From November 3, candidates with high-wage Canadian job offers or qualifying Canadian work experience will receive additional consideration under the revised scoring system.
Permanent residence is only the first stage. Applicants must generally spend at least 1,095 days physically present in Canada within the five years before applying for citizenship. They must also meet applicable language and knowledge requirements, pass a citizenship test and attend an oath ceremony.
This route requires applicants to relocate, establish themselves in Canada and meet the eligibility conditions before applying for citizenship. The upcoming Express Entry changes may make the initial stage more competitive for candidates without strong Canadian employment connections.
Americans With Canadian Ancestors May Skip Express Entry
On December 15, 2025, Bill C-3 amended Canada’s Citizenship Act and removed the previous first-generation limit on citizenship by descent for people born before that date.
Under the earlier rule, citizenship by descent was generally restricted after the first generation born outside Canada, subject to applicable exceptions. The legal change allows eligible individuals to establish citizenship through a Canadian ancestor even when several generations separate them from that ancestor.
People who qualify are not applying to become Canadian citizens. They may already hold citizenship under the law and need to apply for proof of that status.
A successful application provides a Canadian citizenship certificate confirming the person’s status. Eligible applicants can pursue this process without moving to Canada or living there. Canada and the United States both allow dual citizenship, so applicants can retain their American citizenship.
It is important to note that eligibility is not automatic for everyone with Canadian ancestry. Applicants must prove an unbroken direct line between themselves and a qualifying Canadian ancestor using appropriate records.
Americans Are Applying In Growing Numbers
Since Bill C-3 took effect in December 2025, Americans have accounted for a significant share of applications for Canadian citizenship by descent. In January 2026, applications from United States citizens exceeded those from the next nine countries combined.
The number of people waiting for decisions has also increased. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reported around 70,400 people in the queue in May 2026. By October, the figure had reached approximately 130,700.
The estimated wait for a new citizenship certificate application had risen to around thirty-four months, compared with an estimate of five months in May 2025, before the law changed.
The growing demand has also affected archives that hold historical records. These institutions help applicants locate documents needed to establish their family connections, and some have reported receiving years’ worth of requests within only a few months.
Why More Americans Want Canadian Citizenship?
Canadian citizenship offers practical benefits to eligible Americans. Dual citizens can live, work and study anywhere in Canada without needing a work or study permit. They may pursue employment in Toronto, settle in Montreal or retire in Nova Scotia.
Citizenship can also benefit children and young adults. Canadian citizens generally pay domestic tuition rather than international tuition at Canadian universities. Eligible young citizens may also apply through International Experience Canada for working holiday opportunities in more than thirty countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and Japan. Age limits and programme conditions apply.
The Canadian passport also provides access to international destinations under its visa arrangements. Americans who qualify for Canadian citizenship can hold both passports, subject to the countries’ applicable rules.
Obtaining a Canadian citizenship certificate does not, by itself, create a Canadian income tax obligation. Canada generally determines income tax residency based on residential ties and other relevant circumstances, rather than citizenship alone. Americans who continue living in the United States should consider their individual tax situation if they have Canadian income or other relevant connections.
Some applicants have no immediate plans to relocate. Instead, they view Canadian citizenship as an additional option for the future, particularly during periods of political or economic uncertainty.
For Americans with a Canadian grandparent or great-grandparent, the upcoming Express Entry changes do not determine eligibility for citizenship by descent. Their claims depend on the citizenship law and the evidence supporting their family lineage.
What Is Changing With Express Entry?
From November 3, 2026, a financial manager with a high-wage Canadian job offer could receive up to 100 additional points under the revised Express Entry system, depending on the offer and eligibility requirements.
On October 16, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab announced the changes, explaining that the government intended to align the system more closely with Canada’s economic and labour market needs.
Express Entry is Canada’s online system for managing applications from skilled workers seeking permanent residence. Candidates create profiles and receive scores under the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). The government then invites eligible candidates with competitive scores to apply for permanent residence.
Starting November 3, a new scoring category called the Labour Market Integration Factor will reward eligible candidates connected to high-wage occupations. IRCC defines these occupations for this purpose as jobs with a median wage at least 1.3 times the national median.
Candidates may receive up to 100 additional points for a qualifying high-wage job offer or up to 70 points for at least one year of qualifying high-wage Canadian work experience. They receive whichever score is higher under these two factors, rather than combining both scores.
The changes will affect the skilled immigration route, but they do not remove the citizenship-by-descent option for Americans who already qualify through their Canadian ancestry. For those individuals, the main challenge is establishing their eligibility with the required family and citizenship records.
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