Under Canadian law, individuals born outside of Canada may be eligible for citizenship if at least one of their parents or grandparents was a Canadian citizen at the time of their birth. This is known as citizenship by descent.

Section 3(1)(b) provides that a person born outside Canada is a citizen if at least one of their parents was a Canadian citizen at the time of their birth. This means that if you were born outside Canada and one of your parents was a Canadian citizen at the time of your birth, you are likely eligible for Canadian citizenship by descent.

However, if you were born after April 17, 2009, you will likely be disqualified from claiming Canadian citizenship by descent if you were born outside of Canada in second or subsequent generation. Individuals born in the second or subsequent generation may still be considered Canadian citizens under the Crown service exception if their Canadian citizen parent or grandparent was employed in Crown service at the time of their birth. For example, if an individual's grandparent was a Canadian citizen employed in the Canadian Armed Forces or federal public administration, and their parent was born outside Canada to that grandparent, they may be eligible for Canadian citizenship under the Crown service exception.

Additionally, individuals born outside of Canada to Canadian parents in the second or subsequent generation between February 15, 1977, and April 16, 2009, are also Canadian citizens and exempted from the first-generation limit.

But it is complicated and determining eligibility for citizenship under the various provisions and exceptions requires a thorough examination of the individual's claim to citizenship under current and previous laws, as well as their parents' claims to ensure they were Canadians at birth. Another complexity of Canadian citizenship law is that the second-generation retention requirements may still apply to individuals born outside of Canada to Canadian parents in the second or subsequent generation between February 15, 1977, and April 16, 2009.

If you were born outside of Canada to Canadian parents or have a Canadian grandparent who was employed in Crown service, or were born between February 15, 1977, and April 16, 2009, to Canadian parents or grandparents, you may be eligible for Canadian citizenship under various provisions and exceptions. It may be worthwhile exploring your options and seeking legal advice if necessary to determine if you are eligible for Canadian citizenship and to navigate the process. Being a Canadian citizen comes with many benefits, such as the ability to live and work in Canada, access to healthcare and education, and the ability to vote in Canadian elections.