Hong Kong Watch urges Canadians to sign a petition calling on the Government to make it easier for Hong Kongers with protest related “convictions” to apply for safe haven

Today, Hong Kong Watch is announcing its support for a House of Commons petition in Canada coordinated by Garnett Genuis MP which urges the Government to review the barriers which prevent Hong Kongers with previous protest related convictions from applying for asylum, Canada’s “Young Talents” scheme and other visa routes.

Under Canada’s current visa rules and asylum scheme, many Hong Kong pro-democracy protestors face significant barriers in applying for safe haven. There currently is no space on application forms for Hong Kongers to record protest related convictions and in some cases, Hong Kongers are required to obtain a background check from the Hong Kong Police, which puts vulnerable Hong Kongers in harms way.

The petition calls upon the Government to make a formal statement to the House of Commons ensuring that Hong Kongers who have previous protest related convictions will not be barred from applying for asylum, Canada’s “Young Talents” scheme and other visa routes, provide a section in the immigration form that allows Hong Kongers with protest related convictions to offer an explanation, and to review the requirement for Hong Kongers to request a background check from the Hong Kong Police as part of their application for Canada’s “Young Talents” scheme.

You can sign the petition here:

Petition to the House of Commons (Hong Kong Criminal Conviction)

Please share it with your friends, family, colleagues, and community to ensure that Canada continues to stand with the people of Hong Kong by offering them safe harbor.

香港監察促請加拿大民眾簽署請願信，呼籲政府讓因參與示威活動被定罪的香港人更容易申請庇護

今天，香港監察宣佈支持一項加拿大眾議院請願活動，這項請願活動由國會議員Garnett Genuis負責協調，敦促政府審視因參與示威活動被定罪的香港人在申請庇護、加拿大「年輕人才」計劃及其他簽證時遇到的障礙。

在加拿大現時的簽證規例及庇護計劃中，很多支持民主的香港示威者在申請庇護時面對重大障礙。現時的庇護申請表上，並沒有欄目讓香港申請人填寫與參與示威活動相關的定罪，在某些個案中，香港申請人更被要求從香港警方獲取背景審查，把身處弱勢的香港人置於危險之中。

今次請願敦促政府向眾議院作出正式聲明，確保曾因參與示威活動被定罪的香港人不會被禁止申請庇護、加拿大「年輕人才」計劃及其他簽證，並在移民表格上提供一個欄目，讓因參與示威活動被定罪的香港人作出解釋，以及審視要求香港人在申請加拿大「年輕人才」計劃時提供由香港警方發出的背景審查的安排。

你可在此簽署請願信︰

Petition to the House of Commons (Hong Kong Criminal Conviction)

請與你的朋友、家人、同事和社區分享此請願信，確保加拿大繼續與香港人同行，為他們提供避風港。