Canada’s Hong Kong Permanent Residence Pathways Close August 31

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that Canada’s temporary permanent residence pathways for eligible Hong Kong residents will stop accepting new applications after August 31, 2026.

The two pathways were introduced in 2021 for eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada with qualifying Canadian education or work experience. IRCC says applications received on or before August 31 will continue to be processed after the intake closes.

This is an application deadline—not the termination of every related measure. Certain applicants who submitted a permanent residence application through these pathways may still qualify for an open work permit under a separate public policy that remains in place until May 2029.

Key dates and figures

Detail	Current IRCC information
Permanent residence pathways introduced	2021
Final date for new applications	August 31, 2026
Applications submitted by the deadline	Will continue to be processed
Related open work permit measure	Remains in place until May 2029
PR applications received by June 30, 2026	Approximately 30,315
People represented by those applications	Approximately 48,560
Applications approved by June 30, 2026	More than 8,600
People represented by approved applications	13,485
People who had obtained PR status	Approximately 13,370

The application and approval figures were reported by IRCC on August 28, 2026. They are not a forecast of how many remaining applications will be approved.

Which pathways are closing?

The temporary public policy offers two routes:

• Stream A: In-Canada graduates
• Stream B: Canadian work experience

Applicants may apply through only one stream and must satisfy all requirements for that stream.

The closure does not create a new intake or replacement pathway. IRCC’s August 28 notice confirms that both streams will stop accepting new applications after the previously announced August 31 deadline.

General requirements for both streams

Under IRCC’s current eligibility instructions, applicants to either stream must generally:

• Hold a valid Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport; or
• Hold a valid British National (Overseas) passport as a person born, naturalized or registered in Hong Kong
• Be physically present in Canada when applying and when permanent residence is granted
• Have valid temporary resident status in Canada
• Intend to live in a province or territory other than Quebec
• Provide an approved English or French language test
• Achieve at least Canadian Language Benchmark or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens level 5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
• Meet the education or work-experience requirements of the selected stream
• Remain admissible to Canada

Meeting the basic criteria does not guarantee approval. IRCC must assess the complete application, documentation and admissibility of the applicant and accompanying family members.

Stream A: In-Canada graduates

Stream A is intended for eligible recent graduates of Canadian post-secondary designated learning institutions.

Applicants must have graduated during the three years before applying with one of the following eligible credentials:

• A diploma, other than a graduate or postgraduate diploma, from a program lasting at least two years
• An associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree
• A graduate or postgraduate diploma or certificate from a program lasting at least one year

At least 50% of the qualifying program must have been completed in Canada, either in person or online.

An applicant relying on a graduate or postgraduate diploma or certificate must also have completed a qualifying post-secondary diploma or degree before entering that program. IRCC states that the prerequisite credential must have been completed within the five years before the graduate or postgraduate program began.

Applicants should verify the institution, credential, completion date and prerequisite rules against the official Stream A eligibility instructions.

Stream B: Canadian work experience

Stream B is intended for applicants with qualifying work experience in Canada.

During the three years before applying, a candidate must have:

• Completed at least 1,560 hours of paid work in Canada; and
• Held a Canadian work permit for at least one year

The 1,560 hours may come from eligible full-time or part-time employment. The applicant must have been legally authorized to perform the work.

IRCC does not count hours accumulated:

• While the applicant was a full-time student
• Through self-employment
• Outside Canada
• During medical, parental or similar leave
• During an extended absence outside Canada
• While unemployed

Applicants should calculate their qualifying hours carefully and support them with consistent employment records.

What does “received on or before August 31” mean?

IRCC’s notice states that applications received on or before August 31, 2026, will continue to be processed.

Prospective applicants should not treat the deadline as permission to submit an incomplete package. A late or incomplete application may not benefit from the temporary public policy.

Before submission, applicants should confirm that:

• They selected the correct stream
• All required forms are complete and current
• Signatures and declarations are included
• Language results meet the minimum in all four abilities
• Education or work-experience evidence satisfies the selected stream
• Passport and temporary status documents are valid
• Family information is complete
• Required fees have been paid
• Documents not in English or French have acceptable translations
• The complete application has been successfully transmitted

Applicants should retain the submission confirmation, payment receipt and a full copy of the package.

What happens to applications already submitted?

IRCC says it will continue processing applications received on or before the deadline.

The closure of the intake does not cancel a properly submitted application. It also does not guarantee approval or provide a specific decision date.

Applicants with pending files should:

• Monitor their IRCC account and email
• Respond to document requests within the stated deadline
• Keep their contact information current
• Report material changes in family composition or circumstances
• Maintain valid temporary status where required
• Avoid submitting duplicate applications unless IRCC instructs them to do so

Processing will continue under the applicable public policy and immigration legislation.

Open work permits remain available to certain applicants

The related open work permit policy does not expire on August 31, 2026.

IRCC says eligible people who have already applied for permanent residence through Stream A or Stream B may apply for an open work permit until May 2029.

The permit may be valid for up to three years and allows the holder to work for most employers in Canada while the permanent residence application is processed.

To qualify, the principal applicant must generally:

• Have applied for permanent residence under one of the two Hong Kong pathways
• Have held a work permit or study permit during the three years before applying for permanent residence
• Be eligible to apply for a work permit
• Be physically present in Canada

A person cannot use this measure if their permanent residence application was refused, withdrawn or returned.

An eligible spouse, common-law partner or dependent child over 18 who was included in the permanent residence application may also be able to apply for an open work permit.

Applicants can review the official Hong Kong PR applicant open work permit instructions.

Maintaining temporary status remains important

Submitting a permanent residence application does not automatically extend a person’s temporary resident status.

Applicants whose work or study authorization will expire while their PR application is pending should determine whether they qualify for the special open work permit or another extension.

IRCC states that a person whose temporary status expired less than 90 days earlier may still qualify for the Hong Kong PR applicant open work permit if they are in Canada and apply to restore their status with the applicable fee.

Restoration is time-sensitive and is not guaranteed. Anyone approaching an expiry date should review their options before losing status.

Does this affect applications outside the two pathways?

The August 31 closure applies specifically to the temporary permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents.

It does not, by itself, close other Canadian immigration programs. A person who cannot use these pathways may still be eligible for another route, depending on their circumstances, such as:

• Express Entry
• A Provincial Nominee Program
• Family sponsorship
• Another federal or provincial economic pathway
• A temporary work or study option

Eligibility must be assessed separately under the rules of the other program. There is no automatic transfer from the Hong Kong public policy to another immigration category.

Practical next steps before the deadline

An eligible person preparing to apply should:

• Confirm whether Stream A or Stream B applies.
• Verify the passport requirement.
• Confirm physical presence and valid temporary status.
• Review the intention-to-reside-outside-Quebec requirement.
• Check that language results show CLB or NCLC 5 in all four abilities.
• Confirm the qualifying credential and completion dates for Stream A.
• Calculate eligible Canadian work hours and work-permit history for Stream B.
• Obtain current employment, education and immigration documents.
• Complete the latest forms and document checklist.
• Pay the applicable fees and save the receipt.
• Submit the complete application no later than August 31, 2026.
• Save proof that IRCC received the application.

Key takeaway

Canada’s two temporary permanent residence pathways for eligible Hong Kong residents will close to new applications after August 31, 2026.

IRCC will continue processing applications received on or before that date. Certain applicants with pending permanent residence applications may remain eligible for an open work permit under a related policy that continues until May 2029.

Applicants approaching the deadline should focus on submitting a complete, accurate application and preserving proof of timely submission.

This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration policies, application instructions and forms can change. Confirm the latest requirements directly with IRCC before submitting an application.