Canada extends and expands work permits for Hong Kongers

In response to months of political lobbying for Hong Kongers fleeing China’s communist regime, Canada is extending the deadline and relaxing the eligibility requirements for work permits for migrants from the former British colony.On Monday, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser extended the special immigration program that allows post-secondary-educated Hong Kong residents to stay and work in this country, a day before the initiative was to expire. The program is now opened until Feb. 7, 2025.Since last fall, pro-democracy organizations and activists, including exiled former Hong Kong legislators Dennis Kwok and Ted Hui, had urged Ottawa to keep the door open and lower the bar so more people could qualify.“Canada will continue to support the many meaningful exchanges between Canada and Hong Kong while standing up for the people of Hong Kong,” Fraser said in a statement Monday.“By extending and expanding Canada’s open work permits for Hong Kongers, we are giving Canadian employers more skilled workers to hire at a time when we need them most and providing valuable work experience, all while also showing our support for the people of Hong Kong.”Under the existing program, a Hong Konger must have completed a post-secondary education in Canada or other countries within the past five years to qualify for the open work permit that also allows their spouses and children to join them.While in Canada, those who have gained a minimum one year of work experience and meet other criteria such as minimum language and education levels are eligible for permanent residence.Those who come on a study permit can apply directly for immigration upon graduation from a post-secondary institution in Canada.However, the five-year graduation bar has been the main barrier for some to take advantage of the program to escape from China’s tightening grip in light of the passage of the National Security Law in Hong Kong in 2020, which makes it easier to prosecute protesters and dissidents.Those who graduated from a post-secondary institution prior to 2016 must instead enroll in school here as an international student, but the tuition fee — usually three to four times more than what domestic students pay — can be prohibitively expensive.Recent surveys by the Community Family Services of Ontario also highlighted challenges Hong Kongers faced in settling in Canada as those arriving as students or temporary foreign workers under the Hong Kong pathways are not eligible for immigrant support services.“The human rights situation in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate at a rapid pace under the Hong Kong National Security Law alongside colonial-era sedition laws now being actively used to target civil society organizations, journalists, lawyers, and even authors of children’s books,” 18 prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in exile wrote in an open letter to Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and Fraser in October.“There remain far too many Hong Kongers who do not have access to adequate lifelines out of the city, with an estimated 1.9 million Hong Kongers who are not covered by existing schemes.”On Monday, the immigration minister heeded the call by removing the five-year post-secondary graduation cutoff for open work permits. Instead, those who have completed their studies within the past 10 years are now eligible for the permits.In recent years, Canada has seen a massive increase in the number of Hong Kong residents applying to come to Canada via various immigration streams, including study permits and work permits.From 2016 to 2021, applications ballooned from almost 6,000 to more than 29,000 a year. As of June of last year, 18,000 applications had been received.With a file from Jeremy NuttallNicholas Keung is a Toronto-based reporter covering immigration for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @nkeung