IRCC announced several ongoing immigration measures – the Hong Kong pathway, to support Hong Kong residents on November 12, 2020. 

Canada has been constantly implementing a number of new measures and making enhancements to existing immigration programs and pathways. This allows Hong Kong residents and their families to quickly come to Canada on work and study permits. Then apply through a qualified independent pathway to permanent residence.

There are 2 streams available for Hong Kong residents to apply for permanent residence:

• Stream A: In-Canada Graduates
• Stream B: Canadian Work Experience

 

Hong Kong Pathway: Eligibility Requirements

Whether you are planning for Stream A or Stream B, below are some common conditions an applicant has to meet.

Hong Kong residents 

• holds a passport issued by
  • the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, as defined by paragraph 190(2)(d) of the Regulations, or
  • the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas), as a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong, as defined by paragraph 190(2)(e) of the Regulations
• has submitted an application for permanent residence with the applicable forms provided by the department in the application package for this public policy, or by the electronic means made available on the website of the department
• has attained a level of proficiency of at least benchmark 5 in either official language for each of the 4 language skill areas, as set out in the Canadian Language Benchmarks or the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens:
  • this must be demonstrated by the results of an evaluation by an organization or institution designated by the Minister for the purpose of evaluating language proficiency under subsection 74(3) of the Regulations and
  • the evaluation must be less than 2 years old when the permanent residence application is received
• is physically present in Canada at the time when an application for permanent residence under this public policy is made, and at the time of granting of permanent residence
• has a valid temporary resident status in Canada
• intends to reside in a province or territory other than the province of Quebec

 

Stream A Applicants

To qualify for Stream A, applicants have to meet the following requirements to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

• in the immediate 3 years preceding the date when the application is received, graduated from a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada, as defined in section 211.1 of the Regulations with
  • a degree
  • a diploma for completion of a program that is at least 2 years in length or
  • a graduate or post-graduate diploma, certificate or credential
    • for completion of a program that is at least 1 year in length. To be eligible, that program must require the completion of a post-secondary degree or diploma as a prerequisite for acceptance into the program and
    • the post-secondary degree or diploma must have been obtained no more than 5 years before the commencement of the graduate or post-graduate program
• the program of study was completed in any field of study, with at least 50% of the program of study (total courses) completed while physically present in Canada, either in class or online.

 

Stream B Applicants

To be eligible for Stream B, applicants must meet the following requirements to apply for permanent residency in Canada.

• in the immediate 3 years preceding the date when the application is received, completed at least 1 year of full-time work experience, or the equivalent to 1 year of work experience through part-time work, in Canada:
  • work can be completed in any skill level, but must meet the definition of work as per section 2 of the Regulations, and have been authorized by virtue of a work permit, work permit exemption under section 186 of the Regulations or a public policy under section 25.2 of the Act
  • any period of employment during which the foreign national was engaged in full-time study or was self-employed shall not be included in calculating a period of work experience
• in the immediate 5 years preceding the date when the application is received, graduated with
  • a degree from a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada, as defined in section 211.1 of the Regulations or
  • a foreign degree or credential along with an equivalency assessment as defined in subsection 73(1) of the Regulations that indicates that the foreign degree or credential is equivalent to a Canadian post-secondary degree or
  • a diploma from a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada, as defined in section 211.1 of the Regulations for completion of a program that is at least 2 years in length or
  • a foreign diploma, certificate or credential, along with an equivalency assessment as defined in subsection 73(1) of the Regulations that indicates that the foreign diploma, certificate or credential is equivalent to a Canadian post-secondary diploma for a program that is at least 2 years in length or
  • a graduate or post-graduate diploma, certificate or credential from a post-secondary designated learning institution as defined in section 211.1 of the Regulations
    • for completion of a program that is at least 1 year in length. To be eligible that program must require the completion of a post-secondary degree or diploma as a prerequisite for acceptance into the program and
    • the post-secondary degree or diploma must have been obtained no more than 5 years before the commencement of the graduate or post-graduate program or
• a foreign diploma, certificate or credential along with an equivalency assessment as defined in subsection 73(1) of the Regulations that indicates that the foreign diploma, certificate or credential is equivalent to a Canadian graduate or post-graduate diploma, certificate or credential for a program that is at least 1 year in length:
  • the graduate or post-graduate diploma program must have required the completion of a post-secondary degree or diploma as a prerequisite for acceptance into that program and
  • the post-secondary degree or diploma must have been obtained no more than 5 years before the commencement of the graduate or post-graduate program
• is not inadmissible to Canada

 

Open Work Permit Applicants

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

When the Hong Kong Open Work Permit measure was first announced by the Minister of Immigration on November 12, 2020, the public policy grants OWP to Hong Kong residents inside and outside Canada by February 7, 2023. However, on February 6, 2023, IRCC announced extending and expanding the Open Work Permit program for Hong Kong residents. The extended deadline for Hongkongers to apply for an open work permit is February 7, 2025.

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

Detailed descriptions and explanations are available on the Hong Kong Open Work Permit page.

 

Hong Kong Pathway: Immigrating to Canada

If you are a Hong Kong resident interested in immigrating to Canada through Stream A or Stream B, our immigration consultancy can provide you with expert guidance and support throughout the application process. Leveraging our expertise in Canadian immigration law and policy, we can assist you in evaluating your eligibility, compiling the requisite documents, and overcoming any difficulties or impediments that may arise during the process. 

We understand that immigrating to a new country can be complex and daunting. That’s why we are committed to making it as smooth and stress-free as possible for our clients. By booking a consultation with us, you can benefit from the opportunities and advantages that these public policies provide. Take the first step towards a new life in Canada!