Latest Updates to the Open Work Permit (OWP) for Hong Kong residents

• The deadline for visa applications has been extended to 7 February 2025.
• Applicants must have graduated from a recognized post-secondary institution and can apply if they have graduated within 10 years*, instead of the previous requirement of 5 years.

*The relaxation of the " Graduate in 5 years from post-secondary " to 10 years is only applicable to OWP applications and not to permanent residence applications.

“Canada will continue to support the many meaningful exchanges between Canada and Hong Kong while standing up for the people of Hong Kong. By extending and expanding Canada’s open work permits for Hongkongers, 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.” Sean Fraser said.

According to Canadian authorities, as of last month, approximately 1,700 applications for permanent residence and 33,000 student visas and work visas have been approved. 70% of these applicants are young people under the age of 30, indicating that many young people are looking forward to a new life and development in Canada.

Canada's current Open Work Permit (OWP) arrangement for Hong Kong residents allows Hong Kong graduates holding a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport or British National (Overseas) passport to enter Canada to seek employment without having to confirm an offer of employment from a local employer prior to arrival, as long as they have obtained an OWP.

The OWP is often confused with the Stream A and Stream B pathways for Hongkongers, which are permanent residency applications. OWP is simply a temporary work permit, at the expiry of which its holder must leave Canada. It is worth noting however that this OWP indeed allows eligible applicants to meet the one-year work experience in Canada and ultimately apply for permanent residency under Stream B.

Permanent Residency

For eligible Hongkongers who aspire to apply for permanent residency directly, they can apply in the following two ways, which also exist under an active public policy:

1. Stream A

• Eligible persons from Hong Kong may apply for permanent residency directly after graduation by studying at a Canadian government-accredited institution and obtaining a diploma, degree or post-graduate diploma or certificate, within three years of graduation.
• If the applicant wishes to enroll in a post-graduate diploma or certificate program, the applicant must do so within five years of after completing the diploma or degree.

2. Stream B

• Applicants must have at least 1 year of full-time work experience or a total of 1,560 hours of part-time work in Canada within the 3 years prior to applying for permanent residency.
• To be eligible, applicants must have a certificate of graduation from a post-secondary program or higher within 5 years.

Nota Bene

While Canada has now extended the deadlines and eligibility criteria for the issuance of work visas, Stream B applicants, who graduated before 2016 and 2017, will not benefit from this update. As permanent residence applications are not being extended and expanded at the same time, graduates who are not eligible to apply for permanent residence will need to consider other traditional options such as the Express Entry program (EE), which uses the applicant's academic qualifications, job category, work experience, language proficiency, age, and previous work experience in Canada as criteria to be assessed by immigration officers. Stream A, Stream B and EE are currently the most time- and cost-effective ways for Hong Kong residents to immigrate to Canada.

Related Topics: Canada Open Work Permit