Open Work Permit (OWP) for Hong Kong residents is an important temporary measure offered by the Canadian government. This policy allows Hong Kong residents to obtain Canadian work experience, which bridges Hongkongers to the Stream B Canada PR pathway. 

Initially, when IRCC first announced the Hong Kong Open Work Permit measure on November 12, 2020, the public policy provided OWP to Hong Kong residents inside and outside Canada until February 7, 2023. However, on February 6, 2023, IRCC announced an extension and expansion of the Open Work Permit program for Hong Kong residents. The deadline for Hongkongers to apply for an open work permit has been extended to February 7, 2025.

*On 7 May 2024, Canada introduced a new temporary public policy regarding Open Work Permit (OWP) to assist Hong Kong nationals seeking permanent residency in Canada, which may extend Hong Kong people’s stay in Canada. Hong Kong residents who have applied for Stream A or Stream B and are waiting for IRCC’s decision on their applications may be eligible for a special HKOWP under the new temporary policy. For more details, please visit: Canada’s New Temporary Open Work Permit Policy for Hong Kong Permanent Residence Applicants 2024

HKOWP Eligibility

To be eligible, you must

• hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the United Kingdom to a British National Overseas
  • Your work permit will be valid for up to 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
    • For example, if your passport is valid for 6 months, then you will be issued an open work permit for 6 months.
    • To maximize the duration of the open work permit, make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 years from the date of approval.
    • Tell us how long you want your work permit to be valid.
• meet the education requirements for post-secondary, graduate or post-graduate studies (see below for details)

 

Education Requirements

The education requirements for post-secondary studies are as follows:

You must have graduated no more than 10 years before you apply for this open work permit, with one of the following:

• a degree (for example, associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral) from a designated post-secondary learning institution in Canada or an institution abroad
• a diploma from a program of at least 2 years from a designated post-secondary learning institution in Canada or an institution abroad
• a graduate or post-graduate credential
  • from a program of at least 1 year
  • that required the completion of a post-secondary degree or diploma, as a prerequisite for acceptance into the program
    • you must have received the post-secondary degree or diploma no more than 5 years before you started the graduate/post-graduate program
  • from one of the following:
    • a designated learning institution in Canada
    • an institution abroad

 

Hong Kong Open Work Permit: Highlights

• Eligible spouses or common-law partners, and dependent children are also qualified for work or study permits.
• Hongkongers at risk of persecution who have fled to another country may also be eligible under Canada’s existing resettlement programs, such as the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program and the Government’s Refugee Assistance Program.

To note, applicants can be residing in Canada or overseas at the time of application. However, they cannot apply for this OWP at a port of entry.

 

Open Work Permit for Hong Kong Residents FAQs

Is HKOWP the same as Stream B?

No, HKOWP is different from Stream B. They are 2 different temporary measures under the same public policy for Hong Kong residents by the Canadian government. HKOWP allows Hong Kong residents to work legally in Canada. After gaining enough work experience, eligible Hong Kong residents can apply for permanent residency through Hong Kong Pathway Stream B. 

 

Is the expansion and extension of HKOWP the same as Stream B?

No, the expansion and extension only apply to the open work permit program for Hong Kong residents. The requirements and deadline for Stream B remain unchanged.