Canada simplifies path to permanent residency for Hongkongers
Hong Kong Free Press
Canada will remove a post-secondary education requirement for Hongkongers applying for permanent residency through its work experience stream from August 15.
Under the new policy, Hongkongers will be eligible to apply for permanent residence after working for a year in Canada through Stream B, Canadian lawmaker Paul Chiang announced on Tuesday on behalf of Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
Canada implemented a “lifeboat scheme” for Hongkongers in 2021, providing two additional pathways for them to get permanent residence.
Stream A is for those who have graduated from a post-secondary institution in Canada in the three year before they apply. Stream B currently requires the applicants to have graduated from post-secondary education in Canada or abroad within the past five years, as well as a year of work experience in Canada.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chiang said the relaxation of the requirement also favoured the Hongkongers with the working holiday visa and other working visas. If they had worked for a year in Canada, they could also apply for permanent residence.
‘Win-win situation’
“By removing the education requirement under the work experience Stream B for the Hong Kong permanent residence pathway, we are ensuring that qualifications do not become a barrier to those who possess valuable experience and expertise,” Chiang said in a press release on Tuesday.
Fraser also said: “Removing the education requirement under Stream B is a win-win situation: it means that we can welcome more Hong Kongers to Canada who need our support.”
According to the press release, the new policy also simplified the application process for permanent residence, as applicants will no longer be required to submit proof of education.
As of April 30, 2023, Canada has welcomed 3,122 permanent residents under the permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents – 2,358 for Stream A and 764 for Stream B.
Since 2020, Hong Kong’s workforce has shrunk amid a wave of departures overseas by around 140,000. The city recorded three straight years of population decline, including its largest-ever mid-year drop in population in 2022, according to official statistics.
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https://hongkongfp.com/2023/07/12/canada-simplifies-path-to-permanent-residency-for-hongkongers/