Canada is savoring the hike from HongKong immigrations. According to the new IRCC data, 50 % of the hike is seen particularly for PR immigration from Hong Kong, and the study and work permit applications are raised four times in comparison to pre-COVID time.
Statics reveal that around 30,000 HongKong immigrants moved to Canada each year, and Hong Kong was the leading source of immigration to Canada until 1997.
After that, China, India, and the Philippines outperformed during 1998 and became the main sources of Canada Immigration till now.
In 1997, the people were immigrating to Canada at a higher pace when Hong Kong’s supremacy was handed over from the UK to China.
Locals of HongKong were uncertain of the consequences of the handover and started to move to Canada for economic and political stability.
Since then, until the COVID spread, around 1,500 residents from Hong Kong acquired Canadian citizenship annually.
In 2020, Canada offered to tie a suite of programs with HongKong to encourage and maintain social, cultural, and economic values to boost immigration as workers, students, and immigrants from HongKong.
Canada offers to launch 2 new immigration programs, which were in two different Stream:
- Stream A
- Stream B
Under Stream A, Canada offers to provide PR to Hong Kong residents who have taken their degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution in the past 3 years.
The second program (Stream B) offers to provide PR to the resident of Hong Kong that has taken his/her degree from a post-secondary institute in Canada or overseas. In addition to this, the person must have a minimum of 12 months of working background in Canada.
For candidates willing to register through stream B, the Canadian government has disclosed an Open Work Permit for Hong Kong Graduates to meet the stream B criteria.
The Open Work Permit for Hong Kong Graduates will be valid for up to 36 months. The candidate who wants to register for an open work permit must have a graduate degree from a post-secondary institute in the past five months.
Through this, the willing candidate has the opportunity to work in Canada as per their choice.
After getting the minimum required work experience, the candidate can apply for Canadian citizenship under stream B.
The data suggest that the residents of HongKong are showing positive feedback to the new immigration program.
The immigration process under Stream A and Stream B was started by IRCC on July 2o21.
During July and December of 2021, nearly 620 candidates landed via the Stream A program, and around 40 landed under stream B.
A total of 2,300 people from HongKong get Canadian citizenship during 2021, which was about a 50 % hike in comparison to 1500 of 2019 PR immigrations.
The Present year data provided by IRCC for January depict that 120 HongKong residents immigrated to Canada under stream A and 5 were under stream B.
People landing via Stream B are comparatively low because the HongKong residents have to take one year of work experience in Canada via Open Work Permit. And this will definitely take time to show up. IRCC is looking forward to seeing the rise in immigration via stream B.
In 2019, only 931 people obtained their Canadian work permits.
Hongkong, along with British Nationals Overseas, accounts for Nearly 10,143 people who got a Canadian work permit in 2021, which is much more than the previous year’s data.
According to IRCC data, in January 2022, Hong Kong residents obtained around 1,300 work permits.
By the end of 2022, IRCC expects that 15,000 work permits will be granted to Hong Kong residents.
Apart from this, 6000 study permits were issued by IRCC in 2021, which was way more than 1100 issued in 2019.
These students can also apply under the Stream A program after completing their studies.
In 2021, about 20000 HongKong residents applied for extensions, work and study permits in comparison to figures of 2019, which was around 4700.
Considering these numbers, it may be the first time since 1999 that Canada will see more permanent residents from Hong Kong by the end of 2022.
