How Did Elon Musk Become a Canadian Citizen?
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, holds citizenship in three countries: South Africa, Canada, and the United States. While his South African citizenship is straightforward—born in Pretoria, South Africa—his Canadian citizenship is less well-known but equally fascinating.
Musk’s Canadian citizenship stems from his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. Under Canadian law, children born abroad to at least one Canadian parent automatically acquire citizenship at birth, a principle known as citizenship by descent or jus sanguinis. This rule applies only to the first generation born outside Canada.
At the time of Musk’s birth in 1972, his mother’s Canadian citizenship was legally sufficient to grant him citizenship, even though his father was South African. This made Musk a Canadian citizen from birth, despite being born in South Africa.
Today, Musk holds dual citizenship with South Africa and Canada, and later in life, he naturalized as a U.S. citizen. His Canadian citizenship has recently come under scrutiny, however, due to a high-profile petition calling for its revocation.
In early 2025, an e-petition (e-5353) was launched in Canada, urging the government to revoke Musk’s citizenship. The petition alleged that Musk had acted against Canadian national interests, including accusations of attempting to influence Canadian elections and undermining national sovereignty through his role as a business and political advisor in the U.S.
The petition quickly gained momentum, amassing over 340,000 signatures by March 2025. It was scheduled to remain open until June 20, 2025. Musk responded to the backlash with a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the claims and jokingly writing, “Canada is not a real country.”
Despite the petition’s popularity, legal experts maintain that revoking Musk’s citizenship is not feasible under current Canadian law. Citizenship can only be revoked if it was obtained through fraud or material misrepresentation, such as lying or omitting critical information during the application process.
Expressing unpopular political opinions or engaging in conduct perceived as contrary to Canada’s interests does not constitute legal grounds for revocation. Constitutional experts and immigration lawyers agree that there is no current mechanism to strip Musk—or any other Canadian by descent—of citizenship based on the reasons cited in the petition.
For the petition’s demands to succeed, significant amendments to the Citizenship Act would be required. As of early 2025, no such legislative changes had been proposed. While Parliament has considered reforms related to second-generation citizenship by descent in response to court rulings, changes to revocation powers remain off the agenda.
In summary, Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship is a result of his mother’s birth in Saskatchewan, granting him citizenship by descent. Under current law, neither public outcry nor political controversy can strip him of his citizenship unless fraud or misrepresentation is proven.
Background on Canadian Citizenship by Descent
Canada’s laws on citizenship by descent allow children born outside the country to inherit citizenship from at least one Canadian parent, provided the parent was a Canadian citizen at the time of the child’s birth, either through birth in Canada or naturalization. This mechanism is called “citizenship by descent” or “first generation limit.” If Musk were to have children outside Canada, they would not automatically be Canadian citizens unless the other parent was also Canadian.
Recent Petition to Revoke Musk’s Canadian Citizenship
In early 2025, an e-petition (e-5353) was launched in Canada calling for the government to revoke Elon Musk’s citizenship. The petition cited concerns about Musk’s alleged actions against Canadian national interests, including accusations of attempting to influence Canadian elections and undermining national sovereignty in his capacity as a business and political advisor in the United States. The petition gained substantial support, reaching over 340,000 signatures as of March 2025, and was scheduled to remain open until June 20, 2025.
In response to the petition, Musk posted a now-deleted message on X (formerly Twitter) dismissing the claims and joking, “Canada is not a real country.”
Can Canadian Citizenship Be Revoked?
Despite the petition’s popularity, Canadian citizenship law only allows revocation if the citizenship was obtained through fraud or material misrepresentation—for example, by lying or omitting information during the application process. Expressing unpopular political opinions, or engaging in conduct perceived as contrary to Canada’s interests, does not currently constitute legal grounds for revocation. Constitutional experts and immigration lawyers overwhelmingly maintain that there is no current legal mechanism to strip Musk—or any other Canadian by descent—of citizenship on the basis cited by the petition.
For the petition’s demands to succeed, major amendments to the Citizenship Act would be necessary, and as of early 2025, no such legislative changes had been proposed. Parliament had been prorogued, and while reforms concerning second-generation citizenship by descent were being considered in response to court decisions, changes related to revocation grounds were not yet on the agenda.
What Are the Requirements for Canadian Citizenship?
A person can acquire Canadian citizenship by:
- Birth in Canada (jus soli)
- Birth abroad to a Canadian parent (jus sanguinis, limited to the first generation)
- Naturalization after becoming a permanent resident and meeting residency and other requirements
Summary Table: Elon Musk’s Citizenship
| Country | Basis | Details |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Birth | Born in Pretoria, South Africa |
| Canada | By descent | Mother, Maye Musk, born in Regina, Saskatchewan |
| United States | Naturalization | Later became a U.S. citizen |
Forthcoming Changes
Canadian lawmakers are considering reforms to citizenship rules in response to court rulings on second-generation citizenship by descent, but as of March 2025, no proposals have surfaced to expand revocation powers beyond fraud and misrepresentation. The current debate around Musk’s citizenship highlights public concerns about foreign influence and sovereignty; however, legal experts agree that Canada’s existing legal tools (such as the Elections Act) are the proper means to address such concerns, not the Citizenship Act.
In summary, Elon Musk is a Canadian citizen by descent from his mother born in Saskatchewan, and under current law, neither political controversy nor petition can strip him of his citizenship absent proof of fraud in its acquisition.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship is a fascinating example of how citizenship by descent works. Through his mother, Maye Musk, born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Elon automatically became a Canadian citizen at birth. Despite the controversy surrounding a 2025 petition to revoke his citizenship, legal experts clarify that such a move isn’t feasible under current laws without evidence of fraud. This situation highlights the complexities of citizenship laws and public sentiment’s impact on political discourse.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did Elon Musk become a Canadian citizen?
- Elon Musk became a Canadian citizen through his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. Canadian law grants citizenship by descent to children born abroad to Canadian parents.
- What was the basis for the petition to revoke Musk’s citizenship?
- The 2025 petition alleged Musk acted against Canadian national interests, including influencing elections and undermining sovereignty. However, these claims don’t meet legal standards for revocation.
- Can the petition revoke Musk’s citizenship?
- Under current law, no. Revocation requires proof of fraud or misrepresentation, which hasn’t been presented in Musk’s case.
- Can Musk lose citizenship for his actions or opinions?
- No, expressing controversial opinions or engaging in perceived misconduct isn’t grounds for revocation under Canadian law.
- Are changes to Canada’s citizenship laws forthcoming?
- As of 2025, there are no proposed changes to expand revocation powers. Reforms are being considered for second-generation citizenship by descent, not revocation.
