Canada Open Work Permit For Hong Kong PR Applicants

Last Updated On 19 June 2024, 11:39 AM EDT (Toronto Time)

On May 7, Immigration Minister Marc Miller unveiled a new public policy for Hong Kong permanent residence (PR) applicants under special measures.

Hong Kong permanent residency pathway applicants will be able to extend their status and obtain a new open work permit in Canada effective May 27, 2024.

This new temporary public policy will offer open work permits to those waiting for a final decision on their permanent residence applications.

Hong Kong PR Applicants’ Eligibility To Apply For An Open Work Permit

As per the IRCC official notice, open work permits will be available to Hong Kong nationals in Canada starting May 27, 2024, who:

• applied for permanent residence via the temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents in Canada under Stream A (in-Canada graduates) or Stream B (Canadian work experience), 
  • and
• held a study or work permit in the three years prior to the IRCC receiving their application for permanent residence.

The new public policy will be in effect for five years, during which time candidates can continue to work in Canada while their application for permanent residency is being processed.

Applying under this public policy allows an applicant to simultaneously restore their temporary status if it expired 90 days prior to applying for a new open work permit.

Why This New Policy

On February 8, 2021, Canadians responded to events in Hong Kong by introducing a road to permanent residency as Hong Kong nationals.

Processing times for this route have increased due to the large number of applications, and many candidates run the risk of having their temporary status in Canada expire before their applications for permanent residence are processed.

So Canada is introducing this new temporary policy so that Hong Kong residents can continue to stay on legal status.

Canada will always stand with the people of Hong Kong. It's why we have a PR pathway for Hong Kong nationals in Canada. And, as of May 27th, Hong Kongers in Canada can apply for a new open work permit of up to three years, while waiting for their Permanent Residency decision. 👇 pic.twitter.com/9gdyxiKxd4

— Marc Miller ᐅᑭᒫᐃᐧᐅᓃᐸᐄᐧᐤᐃᔨᐣ (@MarcMillerVM) May 8, 2024

Previous Efforts to Support Hong Kong nationals

Hong Kong residents have access to two special permanent residence programs under public policy until August 31, 2026.

Hong Kong residents have been able to apply for permanent residency through the two distinct streams listed below since June 1, 2021:

1. Stream A (for in-Canada grads)
2. Stream B (for people who have worked in Canada before)

By April 30, 2023, 3,122 Hong Kong permanent residents had become permanent residents via these two permanent residency streams.

2,358 immigrants from stream A and 764 from stream B.

Last year, on August 15, the education requirement was removed for the Canadian work experience stream – Stream B of the Hong Kong special measures permanent residence pathways.

With their degree of education no longer a barrier, Hong Kong residents who have worked in Canada have now been able to obtain permanent residency more easily.

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