Canadian Government to Clamp Down on "Birth Tourism"

A Hong Kong newspaper’s investigation into the practice of immigration consultants there coaching pregnant Chinese women on how to enter Canada without having their pregnancy detected, in order for their children to be born in Canada and receive Canadian citizenship, has prompted action by Citizenship and Immigration Canada to try to put a stop to the practice.

On Sunday, Citizenship and Immigration spokeswoman Candice Malcolm told Postmedia News, “we are aware of crooked consultants who encourage pregnant women to illegally travel to Canada to give birth and gain access to Canada’s considerable benefits”.

One option being considered by Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is to end automatic birthright citizenship, known as Jus Soli, so that being born on Canadian soil alone does not grant citizenship.

Canada and the United States are the only developed nations with Jus Soli and there have been many calls in both to abolish the legal right.