Permanent Resident Pathway for Hong Kong Residents

Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have announced an exciting opportunity for Hong Kong residents currently in Canada to apply for permanent residence. The Minister of IRCC had previously pledged that Canada would introduce immigration measures to assist the residents of Hong Kong in light of the imposition of the Chinese National Security Law. On June 8, 2021, the Minister unveiled two immigration programs that offer different permanent residency pathways to workers and recent graduates. Eligible Hong Kong residents can apply under two streams: Stream-A and Stream-B.

Eligible Hong Kong residents must be in Canada at the time of applying for the program, up until the candidate is landed as a permanent resident in Canada. Candidates must hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Authorities or by the government of United Kingdom in the form British National (Overseas) passport. The applicant must also have language proficiency and satisfy other Canadian immigration checks. The specific requirements of the program are as follows:

Stream A – Recent graduates

• Completed a Canadian degree or diploma in the last three years;
• Studied at least 50% or more of the program in Canada; and
• The program is completed either online or in person.

Stream B – Workers

• Have at least one year of full-time work experience (or the part-time equivalent) in Canada in the last three years; and
• Completed a degree or diploma in the last three years in Canada or abroad.

 

Note: If the applicant falls in either of the streams and has completed a graduate or post-graduate degree, diploma, or certificate for a program that is at least one year in length, the program must require a post-secondary degree or diploma which must have been acquired within the last 5 years.

If you are a Hong Kong resident currently in Canada and would like to learn more, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our immigration team!