Hong Kong Watch (Canada) welcomes the decision by IRCC to extend and expand its Open Work Permit for Hong Kongers
Today, the Canadian Government has announced the extension and expansion of its Open Work Permit for Hong Kongers ahead of the original scheme expiring on 7 February 2023.
Changes to the Open Work Permit scheme announced by the Minister for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Sean Fraser MP, include:
The Open Work Permit scheme will be extended to 7 February 2025.
The eligibility for the scheme will be expanded from five years to ten years to include those who have graduated from post-secondary education in the last ten years (from 2013 onwards)
At today’s press conference, the Minister also outlined that the Government was still reviewing its plans on whether it will expand the Stream B Pathway to permanent residency to ensure it is in line with today’s announcement.
The transcript from today’s press conference can be read here.
Today’s announcement follows a six-month campaign by Hong Kong Watch’s Canada chapter to encourage the Government to expand and extend the Open Work Permit scheme, which has included publishing research outlining real-life case studies of Hong Kongers struggling to access the scheme; testifying in front of the Canada-PRC Relations Committee on the gaps in the scheme and the need for its expansion and extension; building a parliamentary coalition of lawmakers who have consistently raised the issue including the support of the Conservative and NDP leaders; private advocacy with Global Affairs and Immigration Canada; working with local groups on a public petition and demonstrations and local businesses in support for the scheme’s extension, interventions from Hong Kong Watch’s Canada and UK patrons, and working with high profile pro-democracy activists in exile on a direct appeal to Ministers to extend the scheme.
Since its launch in 2021, the scheme has received 17,400 applications and offered a lifeboat route for those young Hong Kongers not covered by the UK’s BNO Visa scheme.
Commenting on the extension and expansion of the scheme, Sam Goodman, Hong Kong Watch Canada’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:
“We welcome the decision by the Government today to extend and expand the Open Work Permit scheme for Hong Kongers and hope that the announcement today will give more Hong Kongers in need of a lifeline out of the city an opportunity to start new lives in Canada.
In particular the expansion of the scheme to cover those who have graduated from a post-secondary learning institution in the last ten years, will help many Hong Kongers who are not covered by the UK BNO Visa scheme.
We hope that over the next few months we will hear a further announcement from the Government applying this expansion to the Stream B Pathway.
For the last six-months Hong Kong Watch’s Canada branch has campaigned tirelessly with local groups, lawmakers, activists in exile, and our patrons to ensure the Government extended and expanded the Open Work Permit scheme. We want to pass on our appreciation to all of those staff within Global Affairs and IRCC who have worked behind the scenes to make today’s extension and expansion a reality.
This campaign is part of our broader commitment to ensure that every Hong Konger who needs one has a lifeline out of the city. We will build upon today’s announcement and continue our work in Canada, USA, UK, Australia, and the EU, to ensure that countries continue to offer bespoke lifeboat schemes for Hong Kong.”
Max Wu, Hong Kong Watch’s Community Outreach and Communications Advisor and a former Hong Kong District Councillor, said:
“As a former elected Hong Kong District Councilor, I have benefited from the lifeboat scheme and am protected from political persecution. I feel relieved to see Hongkongers who have been oppressed like me, can have a way out to arrive in Canada, and continue to speak and fight for Hong Kong democracy.
I would like to thank all the efforts of the Canadian government, and sincerely hope that the government will continue to listen to the Hong Kong diaspora, and to support Hong Kong Watch’s campaigns, such as the Free Political Prisoners Campaign.”