Changes to the Citizenship Act and Implications for SPOs in Alberta

In 2017, Bill C-6 was passed by the Canadian Federal Government to implement changes to the Citizenship Act, modifying the requirements for citizenship. The following policy brief discusses key changes made to the Citizenship Act, and explores possible areas of impact regarding the work of Service Provider Organizations (SPOs) in Alberta. Recommendations include a call for SPOs to assess their organizational capacity, and engage in continuous monitoring and evaluation, in order to effectively assist newcomers in meeting citizenship requirements. This brief aims to bridge the knowledge gap in the role of SPOs and the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies’ (AAISA) members in facilitating access to citizenship for newcomers. Moreover, it draws attention to the importance of conducting further research on the relationship between citizenship laws, settlement and integration supports, and newcomer success.