- NEW PATHWAY FOR CANADA PERMANENT RESIDENCY
- HONG KONG RESIDENTS OPPORTUNITY TO MIGRATE TO CANADA
Overview
This limited-time pathway to permanent residency is for essential workers of all skill levels. Temporary residents who work in one of the listed occupations and who are applying from within Canada may have a chance to become one of the 20,000 healthcare workers, or 30,000 essential workers to get permanent residence through this new policy.
This pathway is open between May 6, 2021, and November 5, 2021, or until the intake caps are reached.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria for principal applicants:
- Have one year of full-time work experience, or the equivalent part time experience (1,560 hours) in Canada in an eligible occupation in the three years preceding the application date. There are two streams:
- Stream A: For temporary residents with work experience in one of the health-related occupations listed in Annex A. Cannot be combined with Annex B occupations. See below for complete list.
- Stream B: For temporary residents with work experience in one of the other essential occupations listed in Annex B. Can be combination of Annex A and B occupations. See below for complete list.
- Be employed in Canada in any occupation at the time of application.
- Cannot be self-employed unless working as a medical doctor in a fee-for-service with a health authority.
- CLB of at least 4 in English or French in all language abilities.
- Be living in Canada on valid temporary status, or be eligible for restoration of status;
- Intend to reside in a province or territory other than Quebec;
- Have submitted an application using the appropriate forms provided by IRCC.
- Apply online; and
- Meet admissibility requirements.
Criteria for family members of principal applicants living in Canada:
- Reside in Canada.
- Be included as an accompanying family member in an application for permanent residence under this policy.
- Meet the definition of a “family member”
- The spouse or common-law partner of the principal applicant.
- A dependent child of the principal applicant or the principal applicant’s spouse or common law partner.
- A dependent child of a dependent child.
- Meet admissibility requirements; and
- Be approved by a delegated IRCC
Annex A – Eligible Health Related Occupations.
These occupations are predominantly in healthcare, but do not include veterinary positions. Occupations are organized by NOC code.
Eligible Occupations:
3011 Nursing co-ordinators and supervisors
3012 Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
3111 Specialist physicians
3112 General practitioners and family physicians
3113 Dentists
3121 Optometrists
3122 Chiropractors
3124 Allied primary health practitioners
3125 Other professional occupations in health diagnosing and treating
3131 Pharmacists
3132 Dietitians and nutritionists
3141 Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
3142 Physiotherapists
3143 Occupational therapists
3144 Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
3211 Medical laboratory technologists
3212 Medical laboratory technicians and pathologists' assistants
3214 Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists
3215 Medical radiation technologists
3216 Medical sonographers
3217 Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists, n.e.c.
3219 Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)
3221 Denturists
3222 Dental hygienists and dental therapists
3223 Dental technologists, technicians and laboratory assistants
3231 Opticians
3232 Practitioners of natural healing
3233 Licensed practical nurses
3234 Paramedical occupations
3236 Massage therapists
3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
3411 Dental assistants
3413 Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
3414 Other assisting occupations in support of health services
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social workers
4153 Family, marriage and other related counsellors
4165 Health policy researchers, consultants and program officers
4212 Social and community service workers
4412 Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations
Annex B – Other Eligible Essential Occupations:
The other essential occupations are organized in three units and listed by NOC code under their broad occupational category.
1. Major unit groups
Sales and support occupations
6611 Cashiers
6621 Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations
6622 Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers
6623 Other sales related occupations
Industrial, electrical and construction trades
7201 Contractors and supervisor, machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades and related occupations
7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations
7203 Contractors and supervisors, pipefitting trades
7204 Contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
7205 Contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers
7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors
7232 Tool and die makers
7233 Sheet metal workers
7234 Boilermakers
7235 Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters
7236 Ironworkers
7237 Welders and related machine operators
7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7242 Industrial electricians
7243 Power system electricians
7244 Electrical power line and cable workers
7245 Telecommunications line and cable workers
7246 Telecommunications installation and repair workers
7247 Cable television service and maintenance technicians
7251 Plumbers
7252 Steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers
7253 Gas fitters
7271 Carpenters
7272 Cabinetmakers
7281 Bricklayers
7282 Concrete finishers
7283 Tilesetters
7284 Plasterers, drywall installers and finishers and lathers
7291 Roofers and shinglers
7292 Glaziers
7293 Insulators
7294 Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
7295 Floor covering installers
Other installers, repairers and servicers and material handlers
7441 Residential and commercial installers and servicers
7442 Waterworks and gas maintenance workers
7444 Pest controllers and fumigators
7445 Other repairers and servicers
7451 Longshore workers
7452 Material handlers
Transport and heavy equipment operation and related maintenance occupations
7511 Transport truck drivers
7512 Bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators
7513 Taxi and limousine drivers and chauffeurs
7514 Delivery and courier service drivers
7521 Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
7522 Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers
7531 Railway yard and truck maintenance workers
7532 Water transport deck and engine room crew
7533 Boat and cable ferry operators and related occupations
7534 Air transport ramp attendants
7535 Other automotive mechanical installers and servicers
Trades helpers, construction labourers and related occupations
7611 Construction trades helpers and labourers
7612 Other trades helpers and labourers
7621 Public works and maintenance labourers
7622 Railway and motor transport labourers
Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers
8611 harvesting labourers
8612 Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers
8613 Aquaculture and marine harvest labourers
8614 Mine labourers
8615 Oil and gas drilling, servicing and related labourers
8616 Logging and forestry labourers
2. Minor unit groups
Mail and message distribution occupations
1511 Mail, postal and related workers
1512 Letter carriers
1513 Couriers, messengers and door-to-door distributors
Retail salesperson
6421 Retail salespersons
Cleaners
6731 Light duty cleaners
6732 Specialized cleaners
6733 Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents
Agriculture and horticulture workers
8431 General farm workers
8432 Nursery and greenhouse workers
Other workers in fishing and trapping and hunting occupations
8441 Fishing vessel deckhands
8442 Trappers and hunters
Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing
9461 Process control and machine operators, food and beverage processing
9462 Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
9463 Fish and seafood plant workers
9465 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing
3. Specific 4-digit unit groups
0821 Managers in agriculture
0822 Managers in horticulture
4031 French and French immersion secondary school teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4032 French and French immersion elementary school and kindergarten teachers (language of instruction must be French)
4411 Home child care providers
4413 Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants
6331 Retail butchers
6523 Airline ticket and service agents
6524 Ground and water transport ticket agents, cargo service representatives and related clerks
6541 Security guards and related security service occupations
6551 Customer services representatives – financial institutions
6552 Other customer and information services representatives
8252 Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers
8255 Contractors and supervisors, landscaping, grounds maintenance and horticulture services
9617 Labourers in food and beverage processing
9618 Labourers in fish and seafood processing
Attention Hong Kong Residents!
CANADA WELCOMES YOU
- Temporary Public Policy Effective February 8, 2021 till February 7, 2023
- Open work permit for upto 3 years to Visitors, recent graduates, Spouse/ Dependent Children 18 years or older;
- Fee Waivers
- Priority processing for PR, ETA, Study Permits, Work Permits and more
Guidance for special measures to support Hong Kong residents to come to Canada
This Policy is to provide temporary & permanent measures for Hongkong youth and facilitate family reunification)
I. Eligibility:
The following clients may be eligible as a principal applicant or an accompanying dependent:
- Hong Kong Residents
(hold a passport issued by - the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; or issued by the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas), as a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong) - Immediate Family Member
(Spouse/CLP, Dependent child yours or of Spouse/CLP, Dependent grandchild, yours & your spouse-parents/stepparents, guardians) - Extended Family Members
(an individual of 18 yrs / above in an exclusive dating relationship (physical presence) with adult for at least 1-year, Dependent child of person in exclusive dating relationship, grandchild, sibling, half sibling/step sibling of person/ spouse/CLP, grandparent of person/spouse/CLP)
Of Canadian citizens/ regd Indian/PR/ Protected persons living in Hongkong regardless of nationality) - Immediate family members who will be studying/working in Canada
II. Fees Waiver
- HKSAR and BNO (Hong Kong) passport holders-Temporary residents in Canada may have their fees waived under these special measures if they are applying for an extension of authorization to remain in Canada as a TR/Worker/Student;
- All foreign nationals applying for an open work permit under a public policy are exempt from the open work permit holder fee
III. General
- Holders of HKSAR passports are visa exempt -apply for eTA
- As of February 8, 2021, foreign nationals who hold either a HKSAR or BNO passport are eligible to apply for an open work permit under a 2-year temporary resident public policy exempting them from certain regulation requirements.
- Online submission-Work permit applications. Applicants can be residing in Canada or overseas but cannot apply at a port of entry…eligible spouses/CLP/dependent children-apply for a study or work permit, as appropriate.
- Canadian permanent residents residing in Hong Kong who require a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) will have their paper applications prioritized at IRCC Hong Kong.
IV. Eligibility for open work permits
Education
- The applicant must hold either :
a degree (for example, bachelor, master, doctorate) from a DLI in Canada/ an equivalent educational credential earned abroad, or
diploma from a post-secondary DLI or the equivalent credential from an overseas institution along with an educational credential assessment (ECA) report
(have graduated no more than 5 years before you apply for this open work permit) - The program of study must be at least 2 years in duration.
- Validity of ECA 5 years preceding application submission
Documents
Applicants applying for an open work permit under the public policy -select in the online application tool that they are “Applying for a work permit under an active public policy or special measure announced by IRCC” for them to trigger the open work permit results.
Mandatory documents
- Copy of educational credential, transcripts or proof of enrolment at a post-secondary educational institution
- Copy of HKSAR or BNO passport
- Family Information form [IMM 5707]
- CV or resume
- Digital photo
- PCC
“Not applicable” documents
- Employment reference letter
- Letter from current employer
- Employment records
- Employment contract
Extension:
HKSAR and BNO passport holders already in Canada -eligible to either extend their stay or apply for their initial open work permit from within Canada under the public policy without a copy of CV
V. IRPR Exemptions
- Hong Kong residents in Canada as visitors are eligible to apply for an open work permit under the public policy.
- Hong Kong residents are not prohibited from being issued a work permit- if they have engaged in unauthorized work or study in Canada or have failed to comply with the conditions of a previous permit or authorization, unless they engaged in unauthorized work for an employer
VI. Spouses or common-law partners and dependent children
- An open work permit may be issued, under LMIA exemption code R01, to the spouse or common-law partner if the principal application is approved for a work permit under the public policy.
- Dependent children 18 years of age/ older- eligible to apply for an open work permit.
- Minor children -apply for a study permit under existing study permit streams or may study without one at the K–12 level, if they are already in Canada and both parents are not visitors.
VII. IEC
Hong Kong youth will not be able to enter Canada unless they have:
- a valid port of entry letter of introduction
- a valid job offer, which includes a written note from an employer in Canada that says
- their business is continuing to operate (whether essential or not)
- they will start work after the 14-day mandatory quarantine
- proof of adequate health-care coverage
Applications in progress will not be closed or refused for lack of documentation or inability to complete the application process in time (biometrics/ medical exam)
Permanent residence
Permanent residence applications from family members should be prioritized where feasible. However, in some circumstances, the most expeditious option for these clients may be to apply for an eTA or TRV.
How do I get priority processing if I’m a resident of Hong Kong?
Priority processing is one of the measures available to residents of Hong Kong. You can get priority processing if you’re applying for one of the following:
- Canadian passport
- PRTD
- visitor visa
- electronic travel authorization
- work permit, including open work permit for Hong Kong recent graduates
- study permit
- family sponsorship
All other applicants who are residents of Hong Kong
If you’re applying online, you don’t need to do anything to get priority processing. It will happen automatically.
If you’re applying on paper, write “URGENT – HONG KONG PRIORITY” on the envelope.
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