Canada closes migration pathway for Hong Kong residents

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On Friday, Ottawa announced the closure of its dedicated "lifeboat" migration pathways for Hong Kong residents, which ceased accepting new applications the following Monday. The scheme, launched in 2021 following Beijing's imposition of the national security law, allowed applicants to obtain permanent residency through specific Canadian educational degrees or one year of full-time work experience. Benny Cheung Ka-hei of the consulting firm Goldmax noted that the closure followed a broader trend of tightening Canadian immigration policy. Applicants who submitted paperwork before the deadline will continue to have their files processed by Canadian authorities.

Consequences

Hong Kong residents who currently reside in Canada but have failed to meet permanent residency requirements, such as English proficiency standards, remain in a state of limbo. As a result, some of these individuals have begun seeking alternative migration destinations, specifically prioritizing the United Kingdom and the United States.

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