Hong Kong Residents Permanent Residence Pathway

To qualify for either stream, you must meet several core criteria regarding your identity, location, and language proficiency.

Common Eligibility

• Nationality: You must hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) or a British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) passport. If you use a BN(O) passport, you must be a person born, naturalized, or registered in Hong Kong.
• Physical Presence: You must be physically present in Canada both when you submit your application and when your permanent residence is granted.
• Legal Status: You must hold valid temporary resident status (as a visitor, student, or worker) at the time of application.
• Language Proficiency: You must demonstrate a minimum level of CLB 5 (English) or NCLC 5 (French) in all four categories: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Test results must be from an approved agency and be less than two years old.
• Intent: You must intend to live in any Canadian province or territory except Quebec.

Stream A: In-Canada Graduates

This stream is for those who recently completed post-secondary studies in Canada.

• Timeline: You must have graduated from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in the 3 years immediately preceding your application.
• Credentials: You must have earned a degree (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral), a diploma for a program of at least 2 years, or a graduate/post-graduate credential for a program of at least 1 year (provided you completed a prior degree/diploma within the 5 years before starting this graduate program).
• Residency: At least 50% of your program must have been completed while you were physically in Canada.

Stream B: Canadian Work Experience

This stream is for those who have gained significant professional experience within Canada.

• Work History: You must have completed at least 12 months of full-time work (or the part-time equivalent) in Canada within the 3 years before you apply.
• The 1,560-Hour Rule: You must prove at least 1,560 paid hours of work. As of January 8, 2026, IRCC strictly enforces that these hours must have been earned while holding a valid work permit.
• Exclusions: You cannot count hours earned while you were a full-time student, self-employed, or working for an employer located outside of Canada.