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Canada confirms Hongkongers applying for permanent residence via ‘lifeboat' scheme can await results abroad
Canada's immigration office has confirmed that Hongkongers applying for permanent residence via a 'lifeboat' scheme created in response to Beijing's national security law may await the result of their application abroad.
In response to HKFP's enquiries, a spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in an email that applicants must be physically present when applying for the Hong Kong Pathway Programme, and when their application is approved.
The spokesperson added: 'They do not have to remain in Canada while the application is being processed.'
The applicants, however, must 'intend to live in Canada, in any province or territory other than the province of Quebec,' according to the IRCC website.
Amid an exodus of Hong Kong residents often attributed to strict Covid-19 rules and the political developments since the protests and unrest in 2019, Canada has emerged as one of the most popular destinations for emigrants.
But in recent months, there have been complaints from applicants saying the wait was longer than expected.
When asked by HKFP whether Hongkongers may return to Hong Kong for an extended period -such as the estimated 17-month processing time – a spokesperson reiterated that applicants do not have to remain in Canada while their application is being processed.
Lifeboat scheme
As of April 30, close to 34,000 people have applied for permanent residence under the Hong Kong scheme, according to IRCC statistics.
Over 12,200 applications have been processed and close to 11,750 have been approved.
The lifeboat scheme offers two pathways. Stream A allows Hongkongers who recently graduated from Canadian post-secondary institutions to seek permanent residence.
Stream B targets Hongkongers who have worked full-time in Canada for at least one year, or spent at least 1,560 hours in total undertaking part-time work.
IRCC told HKFP that the processing time for PR applications submitted under the scheme was seventeen months as of the end of April. This includes both Stream A and Stream B, and indicates the time frame within which 80 per cent of complete applications were processed.
In March, the IRCC announced there would be a years-long delay in processing permanent residence applications from Hongkongers.
It said that as of October 31, 80 per cent of permanent residence applications were processed within a year. But a backlog has emerged due to a high volume of applications received, and most applications are expected to be processed after 2027.
To accommodate the processing time, Canada offered a new work permit for Hongkongers in May last year to allow them to stay in the country while awaiting their application results.
HKFP reported earlier this month that Hongkongers in Canada have taken to social media to express their confusion and frustration at the lack of updates on their permanent residence applications.
Advocacy groups and politicians in Canada have called on the government to tackle the backlog and maintain its pledge to grant permanent residence to Hongkongers.
The lifeboat scheme is set to expire on August 31, 2026, after which Canada will no longer accept applicants.
June 30, next Monday, marks five years since Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest.
It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
