Upperhill News

Stakeholders have begun to raise concerns over the escalation of birth tourism in Canada, which is responsible for increased pressure on health infrastructure. 

The liniency of Canada’s birthright citizenship policies, which are rooted in the principle of jus soli (right of the soil), according to the stakeholders, is perceived as a magnet for exploitation.

These calls are targetted towards an intentional reassessment of the policies amidst mounting evidence of organized birth tourism, particularly in regions like British Columbia.

Canada’s Citizenship Act, specifically Section 3(1)(a), grants automatic citizenship to anyone born on Canadian soil, with rare exceptions like children of foreign diplomats.

The policies in Canada, unlike many other developed nations, do  not require parents to have legal residency or citizenship for their child to gain citizenship.

This loophole has fueled a rise in non-resident births, where mothers enter Canada, often on temporary visas such as tourist visas, to give birth, securing benefits like free education, healthcare, and future sponsorship opportunities for the child’s family.

Countries such as China, Nigeria, and India are top on the list of practitioners of organized birth tourism.


In British Columbia Province for instance, non-resident births have placed a burden on provincial healthcare systems, which are already stretched thin.

A number of developed nations have adopted stricter measures to address this practice.

The United Kingdom amended its British Nationality Act to grant citizenship only to children born in the UK if at least one parent is a British citizen or has settled status.


Germany’s Nationality Act requires one parent to have legally resided in the country for eight years with a permanent residence permit for a child to gain citizenship.

In a similar vein, Australia’s Citizenship Act limits automatic citizenship to children with at least one parent who is a citizen or permanent resident, or those who reside in Australia for ten continuous years.

In the United States, birthright citizenship, enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment, has faced scrutiny considering the January 2025  executive order aimed to restrict citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants or those with temporary legal status, arguing that the current interpretation encourages illegal immigration.

A June 2025 Supreme Court ruling allowed partial enforcement of this policy, though the broader constitutional debate remains unresolved.

The U.S. also introduced the Ban Birth Tourism Act in May 2025 to curb an estimated 33,000 annual births to tourist mothers, alongside stricter visa policies to deter birth tourism.

The stakeholders in a unified voice noted that Canada’s permissive approach on what they termed exploitative citizenship risks straining public resources and undermining the integrity of its immigration system, noting that without action, Canada’s healthcare and immigration systems will face increasing pressure, potentially eroding public trust.

“By aligning with global trends and addressing data gaps, Canada can protect its resources and ensure its citizenship policies reflect fairness and sustainability. The time for reform is now,”they opined.