Can Canadian citizenship be revoked?

Canadian citizenship can be revoked in specific circumstances. The primary ground is fraud, misrepresentation, or knowingly concealing material circumstances in the citizenship application. If IRCC determines that citizenship was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, it can move to revoke citizenship through a federal process. The Citizenship Act governs revocation, and the process involves procedural safeguards including notice and an opportunity to respond.

Citizenship cannot be revoked simply because you have been convicted of a crime in Canada or moved abroad. The revocation power is specifically tied to how citizenship was obtained, not subsequent conduct in most cases. A prior change to the law that allowed revocation for dual nationals convicted of terrorism offences was repealed; Canada now generally does not revoke citizenship based on criminal conduct.

If you receive a notice related to potential revocation — or if you are worried that information you provided in a past application was inaccurate — you should contact a lawyer immediately. Revocation proceedings can result in loss of citizenship and potentially deportation as a foreign national. Early legal engagement is critical because there are procedural steps and timelines in the revocation process that you need to respond to correctly.