Seminar with Tom Kmiec MP addresses Hong Kong Pathway challenges and solutions

This past weekend, Hong Kong Watch Canada, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Young Professionals Association (HKYPA), held an insightful seminar on the Hong Kong Pathway at a town hall in Calgary. The event, which attracted 80 in-person attendees and 100 online participants, was moderated by Canadian Hong Konger YouTuber CanMen for the live session, while the online component featured Hong Kong Watch’s Chair of Trustees Aileen Calverley.

During the seminar, Tom Kmiec MP, the Shadow Minister for Immigration, met with Hong Kong Pathway applicants to explore solutions to the ongoing backlog of permanent residency (PR) applications and the issues related to Open Work Permit rejections. Mr Kmiec proposed the introduction of an improved Express Entry scoring system to better support Hong Kong Pathway applicants, particularly those applying through Stream B. He also highlighted the Provincial Nomination Program (PNP) as a viable alternative avenue for applicants.

In a significant move, Mr Kmiec agreed that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) should issue Approval in Principle (AIP) to all those awaiting PR under the Hong Kong Pathway. This would provide applicants with the opportunity to secure employment and access health insurance while they are waiting for their PR and Open Work Permit approvals.

During the event, a petition letter was presented to Mr Kmiec, addressed to the Honourable Pierre Poilievre MP, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition. The petition includes a proposal to grant additional points for Hong Kong Pathway applicants to qualify for PR under the Express Entry economic category. This is one of the solutions to address the low level of admission targets under the Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) category.

Hong Kong Watch Canada also provided participants with essential guidelines for filling out the Optional Open Work Permit form,  “how to fill the Optional OWP form guidelines”, addressing common mistakes that have led to application rejections.

A recent survey by Hong Kong Watch’s Vote for Hong Kong (V4HK) Canada initiative highlighted that the primary concern for the Canadian Hong Kong community is the status of the Hong Kong Pathway and immigration matters. Although there are 18,000 PR applicants within this Pathway, the low admission targets in the H&C category continue to contribute to the backlog.

Aileen Calverley, co-founder and Chair of Trustees of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“Our mission is to ensure that every eligible applicant receives the support they need to build a new life in Canada. To achieve this, we are committed to collaborating across party lines to advocate for solutions that will urgently help Hong Kongers overcome the Hong Kong Pathway backlog and Open Work Permit rejections.”

Looking ahead, Mrs Calverley will be moderating a community forum on the Hong Kong Pathway in Toronto on 29 March, where she will speak alongside the Conservative Party of Canada candidate at the HongKonger Community Centre Toronto.

加拿大影子移民部長Tom Kmiec MP主講香港監察研討會 探討解決「Hong Kong Pathway」永居申請積壓及OWP申請被拒問題方法

加拿大香港監察上週六聯同加拿大香港菁英協會（HKYPA）在卡加利市政廳舉辦加拿大救生艇計劃「Hong Kong Pathway」研討會。活動吸引了約80人親身出席，另有約100人網上參加。實體環節由加拿大港人YouTuber「住加男人 CanMen」主持，網上環節則由香港監察信託董事會主席Aileen Calverley主持。

研討會期間，加拿大影子移民部長Tom Kmiec MP與「Hong Kong Pathway」申請人見面，探討解決永久居留申請持續積壓及開放式工作簽證（OWP）申請被拒絕問題的方法。他提議推出改良版「特快入境 Express Entry」評分系統，務求更有效支援「Hong Kong Pathway」申請人，特別是經Stream B申請永居的人士。他亦強調，「加拿大省提名計劃 PNP」是申請人可選擇的替代途徑。

值得注意的是，Tom Kmiec MP同意加拿大移民部（IRCC）應向所有等候「Hong Kong Pathway」永居申請結果的人士發出「原則上批准通知書 AIP」，讓申請人在等待永居及OWP批准期間能夠就業並維持醫療保險有效。

Tom Kmiec MP在活動期間接獲致加拿大保守黨黨魁暨官方反對黨領袖博勵治（Pierre Poilievre MP）的聯署信。聯署信提出額外加分予「Hong Kong Pathway」申請人的建議，藉以符合「特快入境 Express Entry」經濟類別的永居資格。這是其中一個解決「人道及恩恤 H&C」類別移民目標配額（admission targets）低的方法。

另外，加拿大香港監察向參加者提供「如何填寫非強制開放式工作簽證表格指引」，處理導致申請被拒的常犯錯誤。

香港監察「Vote4HK Canada」倡議最近展開的調查發現，加拿大港人社群主要關心的問題為「Hong Kong Pathway」申請進度和移民事宜。現時「Hong Kong Pathway」下有約18,000位永居申請人，而H&C類別移民目標配額低持續導致積壓。

香港監察共同創辦人兼信託董事會主席Aileen Calverley表示：

「香港監察的使命是確保每位合資格申請人都能獲得在加拿大開展新生活所需的支援。為實現這目標，我們致力與各黨派合作，倡議能夠緊急協助港人解決『Hong Kong Pathway』申請積壓及OWP申請被拒問題的方法。」

Aileen Calverley將於3月29日在多倫多香港人社區中心主持「Hong Kong Pathway」社區論壇並發言，加拿大保守黨參選人到時亦將出席。