Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways Close to New Applications as Existing Applicants Face Lengthy Processing Times

The Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways consisted of two streams:

Stream A: In-Canada graduates

This stream was available to eligible Hong Kong residents who had graduated from a qualifying Canadian post-secondary institution.

Stream B: Canadian work experience

This stream was available to eligible Hong Kong residents who had accumulated at least 1,560 hours of qualifying paid work experience in Canada within the three years before applying and had held a Canadian work permit for at least one year.

In 2023, IRCC removed the post-secondary education requirement from Stream B, expanding access to the pathway for Hong Kong residents with qualifying Canadian work experience.

Both streams stopped accepting new applications on August 31, 2026.

According to IRCC, as of June 30, 2026, approximately 30,315 applications, representing 48,560 people, had been submitted under the public policy.

More than 8,600 applications, representing 13,485 people, had been approved, and approximately 13,370 people had already obtained Canadian permanent resident status.

These figures demonstrate the significant demand for the special pathways since their introduction in 2021.

For those who submitted their applications before the deadline, the closure of the pathways does not mean their applications will be cancelled.

A more significant concern, however, is the substantial backlog and increasingly lengthy processing times.

IRCC’s processing time estimates indicate that applicants in this category may face wait times extending beyond 10 years.

One of the major reasons for these lengthy processing times is not simply IRCC’s capacity to process applications. It is also the number of permanent residence admissions available under Canada’s annual Immigration Levels Plan.

The Hong Kong pathways are included in the government’s “Other” immigration category, together with special measures responding to situations in countries including Ukraine and Sudan.

Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the “Other” category has an admissions target of 5,800 permanent residents in 2026, followed by 4,000 in 2027 and 4,000 in 2028.

With demand substantially exceeding the number of available admissions spaces, applicants may continue to experience significant delays.

IRCC has acknowledged that high demand combined with reduced admissions space has resulted in a growing inventory and significant wait times that are expected to persist.

Having a pending permanent residence application under the Hong Kong pathways does not necessarily mean that an applicant must wait for that application to be finalized before considering other options.

Those who qualify may also pursue other permanent residence programs, such as Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), or Family Sponsorship.

It is possible to have permanent residence applications under more than one immigration program in process at the same time. Ultimately, however, an applicant can obtain permanent residence through only one application.

For this reason, applicants who are already waiting under the Hong Kong pathways may wish to reassess their immigration options based on their current circumstances.

For example, applicants may have accumulated additional Canadian work experience, improved their English or French language scores, moved to a different province, or otherwise become eligible for another permanent residence program since submitting their Hong Kong pathway application.

Although the Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways are now closed to new permanent residence applications, a special Open Work Permit measure for eligible applicants remains available.

The measure was introduced on May 27, 2024, to help eligible Hong Kong pathway applicants continue to live and work in Canada while waiting for their permanent residence applications to be processed.

Eligible applicants may be able to obtain an Open Work Permit valid for up to three years.

Importantly, this measure did not end when the permanent residence pathways closed on August 31, 2026. It is currently scheduled to remain available until May 2029.

This can help eligible applicants maintain their ability to live and work in Canada during what may be an extended permanent residence processing period.

The Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways were introduced as temporary public policies, and their closure on August 31, 2026, had been scheduled in advance.

For those who have already applied, however, the more important issue is not the closure itself, but how to manage potentially lengthy permanent residence processing times.

Applications received by the deadline will continue to be processed, and the special Open Work Permit measure remains available to eligible applicants until May 2029.

However, given the current backlog and limited annual admissions space, relying solely on a pending Hong Kong pathway application may not be the best strategy for every applicant.

Those who have accumulated Canadian work experience may now qualify for Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program. Others may have become eligible for Family Sponsorship or another permanent residence pathway.

In particular, if your employment, language ability, province of residence, or other circumstances have changed since you originally submitted your Hong Kong pathway application, it may be worthwhile to reassess your permanent residence options.

Applicants do not necessarily need to give up their existing Hong Kong pathway application in order to explore another option. Where eligible, another permanent residence application may be pursued while the existing application remains in process.

With processing under the Hong Kong pathways potentially taking many years, periodically reviewing other available permanent residence options may be increasingly important for applicants who wish to secure permanent resident status in Canada sooner.