Canada has introduced a pathway to permanent residence for in-Canada Hong Kong nationals in response to developments in Hong Kong.

However, due to a high volume of applications, processing times for this pathway have increased, putting many applicants at risk of seeing their temporary status in Canada expire before their permanent residence applications are finalized.

To address this issue, a new public policy will be launched to allow Hong Kong permanent residence pathway applicants to extend their status and obtain a new open work permit in Canada while they wait for a decision on their permanent residence applications. Open work permits will be available starting May 27, 2024, for those who applied for permanent residence under Stream A or Stream B of the temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents in Canada, and held a work or study permit in the 3 years before their application for permanent residence was received. The new public policy will be in place for 5 years, allowing applicants to extend their temporary status in Canada while the processing of their permanent residence application continues.

Applicants with temporary status in Canada, or their guardians, are responsible for renewing their status as needed. If an applicant's temporary status expired in the 90 days before applying for a new open work permit, they can apply under this public policy and restore their status at the same time.

However, if their temporary status expired more than 90 days before they apply for the new open work permit, their application will not be approved. It is important for foreign nationals to submit an application to extend their work or study permit in Canada before their current permit expires to maintain legal status until a decision is made on their extension application. For more information, individuals can visit the official website.

Source: Canada.ca