Individual and structural barriers to citizenship acquisition

This project examines the recent decline in citizenship acquisition, with a focus on administrative “burdens” that reduce access to citizenship and arise throughout the citizenship process. These burdens winnow down the pool of applicants and jeopardize the social, economic, and political participation of immigrants. In this sub-project, we aim to make sense of this decline, and build an evidence base for new policy interventions.

1. Why are Canada’s naturalization rates declining?
2. Has the shift to two-step immigration contributed to the decline in Canada’s naturalization rate?
3. To what extent do administrative burdens weaken access to citizenship in Canada?
4. How can governments promote inclusive, low-burden pathways to citizenship, especially for economic immigrants transitioning from temporary status to permanent residency?

The research team has developed two projects to better understand the causes and consequences of administrative burden in the context of immigration and naturalization. The citizen-centric project will identify specific burdens in the naturalization process (such as learning, psychological, and compliance costs) and examine their impact on attitudes and behaviours, such as awareness, motivation, participation, and trust. The state-centric project will build on prior research on immigration bureaucracy, and improve understanding of the origins of administrative burdens, their imposition on citizens, and the role of advanced digital technologies (ADTs). The research methodology employed is mixed.

Phase one of the project, including literature reviews and the organization of focus groups with newcomers, is currently ongoing.

Expected completion date: September 2026

Canadian citizenship; citizenship; citizenship acquisition; structural barriers; naturalization