Permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents
This temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents who are currently in Canada provides a pathway to permanent residence for eligible applicants and their families.
- On February 8, 2021, IRCC launched a new 3‑year open work permit that allows eligible Hong Kong residents to gain valuable work experience in Canada and apply for permanent residence more quickly.
- On May 17, 2021, Minister Mendicino expanded the education requirements for the new 3‑year open work permit to include applicants who have completed, within the last 5 years, a graduate or post-graduate educational credential (diploma or certificate) for a program that is at least 1 year in length. The graduate or post-graduate program must include the prerequisite of a post-secondary diploma or degree, which the applicant must have completed no more than 5 years before starting the graduate or post-graduate program.
- The 2 additional pathways to permanent residence under this public policy are available to eligible Hong Kong residents who hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China or by the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas) from Hong Kong.
Minister Mendicino announced that the other 2 streams are now open, offering a path to permanent residence for eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada who are workers or recent graduates. Eligible applicants must have valid temporary resident status and be in Canada both when they submit their application and when their permanent residence is granted. They must also meet the specified language, education, work and eligibility requirements, and they are subject to Canada’s regular immigration application and screening processes and admissibility requirements.
There are 2 streams for which you may be eligible. You can apply for permanent residence under one of the following:
- Stream A: In-Canada graduates
- Stream B: Canadian work experience
This public policy will be in effect from June 1, 2021, to August 31, 2026.
Faster and cheaper than BNO 5+1 immigration
Project Description
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- 1. degree (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate)
- 2. diploma from a program that is at least 2 years in length
- 3. graduate or post-graduate credential (for a diploma or certificate) from a program that is at least 1 year in length; in addition, the program must require a post-secondary degree or diploma, which must have been earned no more than 5 years before starting the graduate or post-graduate program.
If you have a graduate or post-graduate diploma or certificate
You must also have completed a post-secondary diploma or degree (from Canada or from abroad), as a prerequisite to this graduate or post-graduate program. You must have competed this prerequisite diploma or degree in the 5 years before you started your graduate or post-graduate program.- 1. degree (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate)
- 2. diploma from a program that is at least 2 years in length
- 3. graduate or post-graduate credential (for a diploma or certificate) from a program that is at least 1 year in length; in addition, the program must require a post-secondary degree or diploma, which must have been earned no more than 5 years before starting the graduate or post-graduate program
How to meet the hours of work requirement
To be eligible for this stream, you must have worked in Canada for at least 12 months full-time, or an equal amount of part-time hours (at least 1,560 hours in total) in the 3 years before you apply. You must have been allowed to work legally in Canada for these hours to count. This means you either had a valid work permit, or you were exempt from needing a work permit. You can’t include any hours of work that you spent- as a full-time student、self-employed、working outside Canada
- on leave from your job (medical, parental or similar)
- on an extended absence outside Canada、unemployed
Language test
You must provide a copy of your language test results that shows you have a level 5 score in all 4 skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) in one of the following:
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB)
Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC)
If you haven’t already completed a language test, make sure you book one early. It takes time to book the test and get your results.
Post-secondary education
If you apply for stream A (In-Canada graduates)
You must provide:
1. A copy of your diploma or degree;
2. Your final transcripts.
3. They must show that you graduated from a designated learning institution in Canada and in the last 3 years.
If you have a diploma or certificate from a graduate or post-graduate program,
You must also include both of the following:
1. Proof that this program required you to have a post-secondary diploma or degree as a prerequisite, such as a copy of the school’s website showing all the prerequisites and letter from the school that lists the prerequisites you needed
2. A copy of your post-secondary diploma or degree and final transcripts showing that you graduated no more than 5 years before the start of your graduate or post-graduate program.
If you apply for stream B (Canadian work experience)
1. You must provide both of the following:
2. A copy of your diploma or degree and your final transcripts.
3. They must show that you graduated in the last 5 years.
If you have a diploma or certificate from a graduate or post-graduate program,
You must also include both of the following:
1. Proof that this program required you to have a post-secondary diploma or degree as a prerequisite, such as a copy of the school’s website showing all the prerequisites and letter from the school.
2. A copy of your post-secondary diploma or degree and final transcripts showing that you graduated no more than 5 years before the start of your graduate or post-graduate program.
If you graduated from a post-secondary school outside Canada,
You must get an educational credential assessment (ECA). This assessment will show that your studies are equal to a Canadian post-secondary diploma or degree.
When you apply for your ECA
Make sure you do all of the following:
1. Apply for an ECA for immigration purposes
2. Gather all the documents the organization needs to assess your education
3. Ask your school for multiple copies of your diplomas, degrees and transcripts
4. Follow any instructions given to submit the documents
5. Pay the fees
You can apply for this pathway if the report you’re given shows that your foreign credential is equal to a Canadian
1. Post-secondary diploma (for a program of at least 2 years)
2. Post-secondary degree
3. Graduate or post-graduate diploma or certificate (for a program of at least 1 year)
Canadian work experience (stream B only)
You must provide proof for each job you list in your application.
This could be:
1. a letter from your employer, on company letterhead, that includes:
♦Personal Information: Name、Job title、The dates you worked for the company、The number of hours you worked each week、Annual salary and any benefits you received、
♦The company contact information (address, phone number and email address)、supervisor’s name, title and signature (or those of the company’s human resources officer)
2. A copy of the T4 tax information slips and notices of assessment the Canada Revenue Agency issued to you.
3. Copies of your records of employment and pay stubs.
4. Copies of bank deposits showing salary payments
