Canada introduced permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong nationals in 2021, but officials confirmed the programme would shut to new applicantsAs of June 2026, over 30,000 applications covering nearly 49,000 people had been submitted under the pathways since their launchApplicants already in the system can still obtain open work permits while their permanent residence applications continue to be processedPAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!Canada’s government has announced that its special permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong nationals will stop accepting new applications on 31 August 2026, drawing a formal close to a programme that has been running since 2021.The pathways were created five years ago to offer eligible Hong Kong residents a route to settle permanently in Canada, provided they had Canadian education or work experience. The official notice was published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on August 28, 2026, from Ottawa.Canada announces closure of permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong citizens. Photo credit: Getty Images Source: Getty ImagesScale of the Hong Kong PR programmeThe numbers released by IRCC paint a picture of significant uptake over the programme’s five years. By 30 June 2026, approximately 30,315 applications had been submitted, representing around 48,560 people in total.
Of those, more than 8,600 applications covering 13,485 people had been approved, and roughly 13,370 individuals had already obtained permanent resident status in Canada.PAY ATTENTION: From breaking news to viral moments. Follow Legit.ng on Instagram!While the pathway is closing to fresh submissions, IRCC confirmed that applications already received will continue to be processed normally.What happens to applicants already in systemFor those whose applications are still under review, a separate open work permit measure remains available. The public policy, which came into effect on May 27, 2024, allows eligible Hong Kong permanent residence applicants to obtain open work permits while they wait for a decision on their cases. That provision is set to remain in place until May 2029, giving applicants who are already in the queue continued access to employment in Canada during the processing period.The closure marks the end of a pathway that was introduced during a period of heightened political tension in Hong Kong, as many residents sought alternative places to settle.Read the full IRCC notice on the closure of the Hong Kong permanent residence pathways.In a similar report, Legit.ng published that Canada announces three occupations that allow foreign workers to study without a study permit.Canada: Permanent residence plan for 33,000 workersMeanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Canada announced its plan to grant permanent residence to 33,000 temporary workers in 2026 and 2027, including the two groups eligible for the initiative.The scheme is not open to all temporary workers: applicants must already be in the permanent residence queue and have lived in a smaller Canadian community for at least two years.
About 3,600 workers had received permanent residence by May 2026, with more applications expected to be processed through 2027. Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng. Source: Legit.ng Oluwadara Adebisi (Human Interest Editor) Adebisi Oluwadara is a Human Interest Editor who joined Legit.ng in January 2026. He has over seven years of experience in press release writing and journalism.
He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology. However, he was mentored in journalism and became a certified journalist after completing the Google News Initiative courses in Advanced Digital Reporting and Fighting Misinformation. He can be reached at oluwadara.adebisi@corp.legit.ng Nigerian YouthsDiaspora Sweet words Uk Ashlyn castro University of ibadan Matteo berrettini wife girlfriend
