Canada has extended its warm welcome to Hong Kong residents since 2021, opening its doors to them through several immigration pathways. In its continued effort to improve these pathways, the Canadian government has initiated an amendment to be made in its immigration policy.
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced its decision to remove education as a requirement for Hong Kong residents from the Canadian work experience stream- Stream B. The Stream B candidates (individuals having prior work experience in Canada) will now have easy access to permanent residence, as they will no longer be limited by educational requirements. This announcement will come into effect from the 15th of August, 2023.
The citizens of Hong Kong are eligible to apply for permanent residence under two specially designed streams, as mentioned below:
- Stream A (for in-Canada graduates).
- Stream B (for those who have Canadian work experience)
Hong Kong residents with significant Canadian work experience will now become eligible to apply for PR, as they will no longer be bound by their level of academic qualification. This remarkable step towards Hong Kong residents also makes the application process easier and simplified.
This announcement comes from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing on Diversity Inclusion, Mr Paul Chiang, on behalf of the Immigration Minister, Sean Fraser. This amendment also signifies the country’s attempt to expand and extend open work permits to citizens of Hong Kong.
Benefits of this amendment:
This latest amendment made by the IRCC is tremendously beneficial to the citizens of Hong Kong, as it gives them the opportunity to access several advantages as listed below:
- Hong Kong residents now have access to open work permits as a result of the Canadian government’s attempt to expand and extend such permits.
- This amendment simplifies the application process for the candidates, as they would no longer be limited by their educational qualifications.
- Due to such a step, skilled workers from Hong Kong will now be able to become a part of the diverse Canadian workforce and make proper use of their skills and experiences.
- This step makes it way easier for Hong Kong citizens working in Canada to move from temporary residence and acquire PR in Canada.
- This move is a part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. The country intends to get more involved in the Indo-Pacific through the fine execution of this strategic plan over the next ten years.
The residents of Hong Kong already have access to some immigration pathways by means of which they can acquire permanent residence. However, a public policy was put in place on the 1st of June, 2021, which is supposed to continue up till the 31st of August, 2026. This policy created two more streams for Hong Kong workers to acquire PR.
The IRCC had previously launched a new open work permit program on the 8th of February, 2021, that allowed eligible citizens of Hong Kong to gain significant Canadian work experience and simultaneously apply for Canada PR. This amendment has been extended recently, enabling Hong Kong citizens to have time till the 7th of February, 2025, to apply.
To acquire PR, however, it is necessary for the applicants to plan to live in any Canadian province or territory outside of Quebec.