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Call for Expression of Interest in Research Consultancy: Lost Canadians

Position: Consultant - Quantitative Social Science Researcher (or Team)

ProjectBirthing Canadian citizens: Migrant mothers’ experiences accessing documentation and citizenship for children born in Canada and abroad

Project Lead: Allison Petrozziello

Contract length: 3 months (negotiable)

Deadline: April 15, 2025

Overview

Children born to Canadian citizens living abroad must apply for a certificate to confirm their Canadian citizenship. While most Canadian migrant mothers can access documentation proving the Canadian citizenship of their children, there are particular groups who face individual and structural barriers to birth registration and documentation of citizenship for their children. As civil registration and ID systems become digitized, proactively addressing the exclusion of these groups is of paramount importance. Since 2009, Canadian women who were born abroad and give birth abroad are no longer able to pass on their citizenship automatically to the second generation born outside the country. Not only are these barriers gender and racially discriminatory, they also prevent Canada from realizing its commitments to inclusive and equal citizenship and the Sustainable Development Goal of legal identity for all.

The Opportunity

Bridging Divides is looking for a quantitative social science researcher (or team) to join the project "Birthing Canadian citizens: Migrant mothers’ experiences accessing documentation and citizenship for children born in Canada and abroad."

The goal of this work is to estimate the size and location of “Lost Canadians” affected by the 2nd generation cut-off rule (currently in the process of repeal) which could benefit from restoration of their Canadian citizenship. The analysis will also ascertain how digital technologies are/can be used to conduct outreach to these groups.

Description of Responsibilities

  1. Define methodology: In conversation with the research team, identify data sources (e.g. Statistics Canada, IPUMS International, Migration Data Portal, etc.) and define the scope of the quantitative exercise (e.g. Top 5-10 countries of residence for Canadians living abroad).
  2. Collect data: After defining the geographic and temporal parameters in conversation with the research team, request, download, and organize the data.
  3. Analyze data: We aim to produce an updated estimate of the number and location of “Lost Canadians” (see Edmonston 2007), especially those who have been affected by the 2009 second-generation rule, which is in the process of repeal.
  4. Data visualization: In consultation with the research team, define appropriate means of visualizing the quantitative research results and produce these visualizations.

Expressions of Interest

The research team invites expressions of interest from an individual or team with strong quantitative research skills, which can include training in demography, sociology, epidemiology, statistics, etc. Please send a 1-2 page letter outlining your qualifications to conduct this research, and initial ideas or questions as to how you would approach the scoping exercise outlined above, along with team member CVs to Allison Petrozzielloapetrozziello@torontomu.ca by April 15, 2025.

Contract Details 

A lump sum contract will be negotiated based on estimated level of effort. The projected timeline is a three-month period in 2025 (also negotiable).