Permanent Residence Pathways for Hong Kong Residents (Closed)
The Permanent Residence Pathways for Hong Kong Residents were temporary federal public-policy pathways for eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada. The program included Stream A for recent graduates of eligible Canadian post-secondary programs and Stream B for applicants with qualifying Canadian work experience. Applicants had to meet the applicable language, status and stream-specific requirements, be physically present in Canada when they applied and when permanent residence was granted, and intend to live outside Quebec. The pathways closed to new applications on August 31, 2026, but IRCC continues to process applications accepted on or before that date.
Former Eligibility Requirements
The two permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents shared several general eligibility requirements, while Stream A and Stream B each had their own additional criteria.
Applicants needed to:
- hold a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport, or a British National (Overseas) passport issued to a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong
- be physically present in Canada when submitting the application and when permanent residence was granted
- have valid temporary resident status in Canada
- intend to live in a province or territory other than Quebec
- meet the requirements of either Stream A or Stream B
- achieve at least CLB/NCLC 5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
- meet federal medical, security and other admissibility requirements
Applicants did not have to remain physically in Canada throughout the entire processing period, but they had to be in Canada when they applied and when permanent residence was granted.
Stream A was based primarily on qualifying recent Canadian post-secondary education, while Stream B was based on qualifying Canadian work experience. Applicants had to meet the specific requirements of the stream under which they applied.
In-Canada Graduates
Stream A was designed for eligible Hong Kong residents who had recently completed qualifying post-secondary studies at a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada.
Applicants needed to have graduated within the 3 years before applying with one of the following:
- a diploma, other than a graduate or postgraduate diploma, from a program of at least 2 years
- an associate degree
- a bachelor’s degree
- a master’s degree
- a doctoral degree
- a graduate or postgraduate diploma or certificate from a program of at least 1 year
At least 50% of the study program had to be completed while the applicant was physically present in Canada. This could include in-person or online study completed from within Canada.
For a graduate or postgraduate diploma or certificate, the program also had to require a previous post-secondary diploma or degree as a prerequisite. That prerequisite credential had to have been completed no more than 5 years before the graduate or postgraduate program began.
Applicants had to provide supporting evidence such as their Canadian credential and final transcripts. For graduate or postgraduate credentials, additional evidence was generally required to show the prerequisite requirement and the previous qualifying diploma or degree.
Canadian Work Experience
Stream B was designed for eligible Hong Kong residents who had gained qualifying work experience in Canada.
Applicants needed to have completed at least 1,560 hours of paid work in Canada within the 3 years before applying. The experience could be gained through full-time work or an equivalent amount of part-time work.
The qualifying work had to:
- be performed in Canada
- be legally authorized
- be paid
- meet the required total of at least 1,560 hours
- be completed within the 3 years before the permanent residence application was submitted
Applicants also needed to have held a Canadian work permit for at least 1 year during the qualifying period.
The following did not count toward the work-experience requirement:
- work completed while studying full-time
- self-employment
- work performed outside Canada
- periods of unemployment
- medical, parental or similar leave
- extended absences from Canada
Applicants could use qualifying Canadian work experience from different occupations and skill levels, provided the work met the program requirements.
Supporting evidence could include employer reference letters, pay statements, T4 slips, Notices of Assessment, Records of Employment or other documents showing the applicant’s authorized paid work in Canada.
Pathways Closed August 31, 2026
The Permanent Residence Pathways for Hong Kong Residents closed to new applications on August 31, 2026.
IRCC no longer accepts new permanent residence applications under Stream A or Stream B. Applications received and accepted on or before the closing date continue to be processed.
The pathways were created as temporary public policy measures with a defined intake period, rather than as permanent immigration programs.
Applicants who did not apply before the closing date do not have a direct replacement pathway and must assess whether they qualify separately under another federal or provincial permanent residence program.
Processing and Open Work Permit
IRCC continues to process permanent residence applications that were received and accepted on or before August 31, 2026.
Applicants with pending applications should continue to:
- monitor IRCC correspondence
- respond to requests for additional documents or information
- complete biometrics and medical examinations when requested
- provide police certificates or other admissibility documents where required
- report relevant changes affecting their application, family circumstances or contact information
Certain applicants with a pending application under Stream A or Stream B may still qualify for a special open work permit while their permanent residence application is being processed. This measure is intended for applicants whose current temporary resident status will expire while they are waiting for a decision on their permanent residence application.
To qualify, applicants generally must:
- be physically present in Canada when applying for the open work permit
- have submitted a permanent residence application under Stream A or Stream B
- have held a valid Canadian work or study permit within the 3 years before IRCC received the permanent residence application
- meet the other requirements of the temporary public policy
Applicants whose temporary resident status expired less than 90 days ago may still be eligible if they are in Canada, but they must apply to restore their status when applying for the open work permit. This special measure is not available if the Hong Kong permanent residence application has been refused, withdrawn or returned. Eligible spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children aged 18 or older who were included in the permanent residence application may also be able to apply for an open work permit.
The open work permit can be issued for up to 3 years, depending on the applicant’s circumstances and passport validity. This temporary public policy is scheduled to remain available until May 2029.
Processing times for permanent residence applications vary based on IRCC’s inventory, application completeness, verification requirements, background and admissibility checks, and applicant response times. Applicants should use IRCC’s current application-status and processing-time information for the latest updates.
