Hong Kong migrant hopefuls: Canada hands out 12,500 open work permits to young, well-educated
- Nine in 10 successful applicants for permits not tied to specific employers were under 40
- Only those with postsecondary qualifications from recent years qualify for open work permits
Canada has issued nearly 12,500 open work permits to Hongkongers since last year, with almost a quarter going to those aged 25 or under, fuelling concerns of a brain drain in the financial hub.
Canada, like Britain and Australia, announced new and easier pathways to immigration for Hongkongers after Beijing imposed a national security law in the city in June 2020, banning acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
Replying to questions from the Post, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said a total of 12,484 open work permits were issued from March last year to June this year.
Of the total, almost a quarter were aged 25 or under, almost half were 26 to 30 years old, 13 per cent were 31 to 35 and 7 per cent were 36 to 40.
Only about 5 per cent were those aged 41 to 45, while those in the 46 to 50 and over-50 groups each accounted for 2 per cent.
Unlike work visas, the open work permit allows individuals to enter Canada without being tied to a specific employer.