Canada to close Hong Kong lifeboat pathway on Aug. 31
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Canada's immigration department has confirmed that the temporary permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents will close as scheduled on Aug. 31, with no extension. Applications submitted on or before that date will still be processed, while official figures show about 48,560 people were covered by 30,315 applications as of June 30, and about 13,370 people had already obtained permanent resident status.
Key Points
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the Stream A and Stream B temporary permanent residence routes will stop accepting new applications after Aug. 31.
- The Hong Kong-focused scheme was launched on June 1, 2021, and the department said the five-year policy is ending on schedule this month
- As of June 30, IRCC had received about 30,315 applications involving 48,560 people under the Hong Kong pathways.
- More than 8,600 applications covering 13,485 people had been approved, and about 13,370 people had formally become Canadian permanent residents.
- Eligible applicants awaiting a permanent residence decision can still apply for an open work permit of up to three years, with that transition measure running until May 2029.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong residents still considering this route, the remaining window for new applications is now down to days, while those who filed by Aug. 31 can still stay in the processing queue. The continued availability of open work permits offers a bridge for applicants already in Canada while their permanent residence cases are being decided.