Last Updated On 18 July 2025, 4:05 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
As global concerns about birth tourism escalate, Canada stands at a crossroads.
The practice, where pregnant women travel to a country to give birth and secure automatic Canadian citizenship for their child, is raising alarms in Canada.
Canada’s lenient birthright citizenship policies, rooted in the principle of jus soli (right of the soil), are increasingly seen as a magnet for exploitation.
With mounting evidence of organized birth tourism, particularly in regions like British Columbia, it’s time for Canada to reassess its laws to protect its immigration system and public resources.
Table of Contents
Understanding Birth Tourism in Canada
Birth tourism involves pregnant women, often from countries with unstable political or economic conditions, travelling to nations like Canada to give birth and secure citizenship for their newborns.
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.
Unlike many other developed nations, Canada does 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.
The Infrastructure of Birth Tourism
Organized birth tourism is particularly prevalent among expectant mothers from countries like China, Nigeria, and India.
In British Columbia, “birth houses” have emerged as a key facilitator.
These private residences, often marketed as part of maternity packages, provide comprehensive services to non-resident mothers, including lodging, transportation, and medical coordination.
These services cater to families seeking to secure Canadian citizenship for their children, which can later provide access to Canada’s education, healthcare, and immigration systems.
The financial impact is significant.
In British Columbia, non-resident births have placed a burden on provincial healthcare systems, which are already stretched thin.
The lack of a national framework for tracking non-resident births exacerbates the issue, leaving policymakers with incomplete data to address the problem effectively.
Global Trends in Curbing Birth Tourism
Canada’s unconditional jus soli policy contrasts with stricter measures adopted by other developed nations.
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.
Similarly, 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.
In January 2025, an 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.
These global shifts highlight a trend toward conditional citizenship to prevent exploitation.
Canada, however, remains an outlier, with no restrictions on entry for pregnant women under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
This makes Canada an attractive destination, especially as other countries tighten their policies.
The Case for Reform in Canada
Canada’s permissive approach risks straining public resources and undermining the integrity of its immigration system.
Birth tourism can delay deportations, as seen in legal cases where the interests of Canadian-born children were considered in immigration decisions.
Moreover, children born to non-residents may later sponsor their parents for immigration, creating long-term implications.
Public sentiment supports reform.
A 2019 survey found that 64% of Canadians favor amending the law to deny citizenship to children born to parents on tourist visas.
A straightforward solution would be to revise Section 3(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act to require at least one parent to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for automatic citizenship.
This aligns with policies in the UK, Germany, and Australia, maintaining Canada’s inclusive framework while closing loopholes.
Birth Tourism Statistics and Criticisms
The scale of birth tourism in Canada has grown significantly, particularly since the lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
According to a December 2023 report, non-resident births accounted for 1.6% of all births in Canada in 2019, totaling approximately 5,800 births.
This figure dropped to 0.7% (around 2,433 births) in 2020–2021 due to pandemic-related travel restrictions but rebounded to 1% (3,575 births) by 2022, a 53% increase from the pandemic low.
By 2023–2024, non-resident births surged to 5,219, representing 1.5% of total births.
Experts estimate that roughly 50% of these births are linked to birth tourism, with key hotspots including British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec.
A Calgary study from 2019–2020 found that 77% of 102 non-resident mothers cited birthright citizenship as their primary reason for giving birth in Canada, with Nigeria, the Middle East, and China being the most common countries of origin.
The financial burden is substantial.
In British Columbia, non-resident births at Richmond Hospital generated $6.2 million in maternity fees in 2017–2018, with $1.1 million unpaid.
A Calgary study reported that 102 birth tourists paid $694,000 in hospital fees, but unpaid bills remain a concern across provinces.
Birth tourism has sparked significant debate in Canada, with critics arguing it undermines the integrity of the citizenship process and strains public resources.
A 2022 Research Co. poll found that 64% of Canadians believe birth tourism can be unfairly used to gain access to these benefits, with 73% supporting a federal inquiry into the practice.
Critics also highlight the strain on healthcare systems.
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The practice, where pregnant women travel to a country to give birth and secure automatic Canadian citizenship for their child, is raising alarms in Canada.
Canada’s lenient birthright citizenship policies, rooted in the principle of jus soli (right of the soil), are increasingly seen as a magnet for exploitation.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
Physicians in Alberta and British Columbia have noted that birth tourism exacerbates existing pressures, particularly in cities with international airports.
Dr. Colin Birch, a Calgary obstetrician, argued that the practice displaces local patients and compromises care, especially in strained systems.
Some, like immigration expert Andrew Griffith, assert that birth tourism sends the message that Canada is not serious about the value of its citizenship.
On the other hand, some argue that the focus on birth tourism unfairly targets non-resident women, often portraying them as exploiting the system.
Critics of reform contend that the numbers, while growing, remain small compared to total births (less than 2%) and do not justify sweeping legislative changes.
In 2018, Ontario officials noted insufficient evidence to justify costly changes to birth registration systems.
Despite these criticisms, the upward trend in non-resident births, coupled with public support for reform, suggests that Canada must address the issue to maintain trust in its immigration and healthcare systems.
Addressing Data Gaps and Financial Burdens
A critical barrier to tackling birth tourism is the lack of consistent data.
Canada does not systematically record the immigration status of parents on birth certificates, making it difficult to quantify the issue’s scope.
Provinces, responsible for healthcare, vary in their tracking practices.
To address this, Canada should implement a standardized system for collecting data on non-resident births, including the mother’s visa status, healthcare costs, and payment outcomes.
Provinces could also require non-resident expectant mothers to provide proof of medical insurance or security deposits to cover maternity costs, reducing the financial strain on public healthcare systems.
A Path Forward
As other nations tighten their citizenship laws, Canada risks becoming a prime destination for birth tourism.
Amending the Citizenship Act to introduce conditional jus soli would deter exploitation while preserving Canada’s commitment to inclusivity.
Enhanced data collection and financial safeguards would further equip policymakers to manage the issue effectively.
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.
For more updates on immigration, citizenship, and life in Canada, follow Immigration News Canada
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