The opportunity for eligible Hongkongers to apply for Canadian permanent residence (PR) has officially ended, with no further applications being accepted after August 31, 2026, as per an immigration department announcement released on August 28.

Applications submitted before the deadline will continue to be processed, while the immigration department is still welcoming applications for a three-year open work permit for those who have applied for permanent residence under the Hong Kong pathways. The application window for this special work permit will remain open until May 2029.

Most Hongkongers who have already applied for permanent residence can anticipate their applications being processed post-2027, according to a federal government briefing.

The closed pathways previously offered Hongkongers meeting specific criteria the chance to apply for permanent residence based on work experience in Canada or Canadian post-secondary education, along with basic language proficiency. The high demand for these pathways has led to processing times exceeding 10 years, with over 46,000 applications received and more than 33,000 still pending.

Delays in processing are not due to capacity constraints but rather the limited available admissions spaces. Final decisions on permanent residence applications are only made once spots become available within the federal government’s annual admissions targets.

For the year 2026, Hongkongers have been allocated 5,800 admissions under an ‘Other’ category.