Canada’s ‘huge’ and ‘remarkable’ immigration offer to Hongkongers is partly political, partly pragmatic

The open work permit scheme for recent graduates represents one of the most generous and unfettered Canadian immigration programmes in memory, experts say

Canada vows national security convictions will not impede applicants, as an international contest for Hong Kong talent emerges, framed in humanitarian terms

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A family of Hong Kong immigrants walk along Jericho Beach in Vancouver, British Columbia on January 26. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:00am, 12 Feb 2021Updated: 5:58am, 12 Feb 2021

When Canada unveiled new details of its open work permit scheme for Hongkongers this month, it framed the action as part of a defence of democratic values, against Beijing’s “controversial national security law”.

Canada stood “shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong”, and the new scheme showed Ottawa’s “solidarity with other like-minded allies”, said Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino.

But the programme, first announced in November, also represents one of the opening salvoes in a contest among Western countries to attract talented young people from Hong Kong, amid the city’s political upheaval.

Immigration experts on both sides of the Pacific said they were greatly surprised by the Canadian scheme’s scope, calling it “huge” and “remarkable”.

The scheme, which officially opened on Monday, is scheduled to run until 2023 and is available to anyone from Hong Kong who has graduated with a postsecondary degree or diploma that is equivalent to Canadian qualifications, in the past five years.

Unlike most other work-based schemes, the three-year permits do not require applicants to have Canadian employment lined up. There are no age limits. There are no financial restrictions, and no language tests.

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