Immigration to Canada Hong Kong
Immigration to Canada Hong Kong
A special administrative region in South China, Hong Kong, is one of the most developed cities in the world. It is also one of the most densely populated places, with over 7.5 million citizens. Due to various political and economic reasons, many residents consider immigration to Canada from Hong Kong. Now, more than 500,000 citizens of Hong Kong live in Canada.
Study Immigration to Canada from Hong Kong
The study immigration to Canada from Hong Kong is one of the best choices for the applicants. Canada offers high-quality and affordable education for international students that ensures a high employment rate after graduation. Moreover, residents of Hong Kong can apply for an open work permit and work in Canada for up to three years.
To complete the study immigration to Canada from Hong Kong, applicants must complete at least two-year studies at the DLI (Designated Learning Institution), obtain the open work permit, work in the country for at least a year, and then apply for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or PNP (Provincial Nomination Program). To be eligible to apply for CEC and PNP, the foreign nationals must work or have the job offer that is included in the National Occupation Classification (NOC) Skill Types 0, A or B.
There are also two new pathways for immigration to Canada for Hong Kong residents who have studied in the country. Stream A is launched for the citizens of Hong Kong who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution within the last three years and have valid temporary resident status in the country. The applicants also need to have a high level of English or French language proficiency and live in a province or territory other than Quebec.
Stream B is suitable for the residents of Hong Kong who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary learning institution within the last five years and get at least a year of work experience in the country. The candidates also must have valid temporary resident status in Canada, show an adequate level of English or French language proficiency, and intend to live in a province or territory other than Quebec.
Work Immigration to Canada from Hong Kong
If you dream about work immigration to Canada from Hong Kong, you can choose the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or the International Mobility Program (IMP). Canadian employers who want to hire the citizens of Hong Kong under the TFWP ought to complete the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). A positive LMIA demonstrates a positive or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market when the employer hires a worker from Hong Kong.
When you consider the work immigration to Canada from Hong Kong, there are four main differences between TFWP and IMP.
- TFWP is launched for Canadian businesses to fill positions when qualified Canadians are not available. In its turn, IMP aims to improve the economic, social, and cultural situation in the country.
- It is worth mentioning, that TFWP is based on labour market, and demonstrates needs for specific occupations and regions. IMP is grounded on reciprocity.
- While LMIA must be obtained to apply for TFWP, IMP does not require this document.
- TFWP requires citizens of Hong Kong to obtain employer-specific work permits, while IMP requires open and employer-specific work permits. It is worth mentioning, that only exemptions can apply for an open work permit, such as refugees, spouses or common-law partners of the foreign workers. Please visit the official web page of IRCC to find the full list of the exemption categories.
After at least a year of work experience under TFWP or IMP, citizens of Hong Kong can start the process of immigration to Canada through PNP or CEC. All applicants should know that their study and work experience in the country give them high chances to settle in Canada.
International Experience Program: Immigration to Canada Hong Kong
Foreign residents can also apply for International Experience Canada (IEC). There are three streams of IEC: Young Professionals, International Co-op, and Working Holiday. The citizens of Hong Kong can participate only in the last program. Young foreigners who want to find a temporary job in Canada to help pay for their trip can apply for the Working Holiday. The program lasts no more than a year. Moreover, the residents of Hong Kong can participate in the International Experience Canada only once.
To be eligible for the Working Holiday category, the foreigners must be between the ages of 18 and 30, get health insurance for the duration of your trip, have no less than 2,500 CAD, be admissible to Canada, travel without dependants, and have a departure ticket or money for it.
Family Sponsorship to Canada from Hong Kong
There is one more way for immigration to Canada from Hong Kong. If residents of Hong Kong have family members in Canada, who are 18 years of age or older, and who are citizens or permanent residents of the country, they can apply for a family sponsorship program.
As a rule, spouses, conjugal and common-law partners, dependent children, parents and grandparents can use this program for immigration to Canada. Residents of Canada can also sponsor a non-immediate family member, such as a sister, niece, or uncle, if they do not have other immediate family members and if they have legally adopted them.
Express Entry Programs: Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) and Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
Managed by Express Entry, Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades Programs are developed to ease the process of immigration to Canada of the professionals from abroad. To be eligible to apply under one of these programs, citizens of Hong Kong must meet the minimum requirements for work experience, language proficiency, level of education and other criteria.
The minimum requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Program and immigration to Canada are following.
- The applicants need to have a year of continuous full-time work experience in the past ten years in a skilled occupation classified under the NOC Skill Level 0, A or B.
- They ought to possess a language proficiency that is equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level 7 in English or French.
- They should submit official transcripts from the Canadian school or foreign credential and Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report.
To be eligible for the Federal Skilled Trades Programs and immigration to Canada, the foreigners must meet the following requirements.
- The citizens of Hong Kong ought to have valid full-time job offers from up to two employers in Canada for at least one year or a certificate of qualification from a provincial or territorial government.
- The applicants must have English or French language proficiency equivalent to CLB level 4 for reading and writing and level 5 for speaking and listening.
- The residents of Hong Kong need to have at least two years of full-time work experience in the skilled trade in the last five years.
Business Immigration to Canada from Hong Kong
One more way to settle is business immigration to Canada from Hong Kong. Residents of Hong Kong can apply for one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) since many provinces offer business immigration options. If you want to use this option for immigration to Canada, you need to have personal funds, the amounts of which depend on the province. The applicants also must have a business owner or senior manager work experience during three years in the last five years. Moreover, a detailed business plan is required for the business immigration to Canada from Hong Kong.
If you want to settle in Quebec, you can choose from three immigration programs for business people. If you want to launch or buy a business in Quebec, you can apply for the Entrepreneur Program. If you want to invest in a business in Quebec, you should apply for the Investor Program. You can also apply for the Self-Employed Program if you have work experience in the profession or trade that you want to practice in Quebec.
The next option for immigration to Canada from Hong Kong is the Start-Up Program. To be eligible, the residents of Hong Kong ought to submit a letter of support from their investors, have CLB level 5 of English or French language proficiency, get settlement funds of 13,213 CAD, launch a business that will develop the country and offer jobs for Canadians.
The last but not the least option for immigration to Canada from Hong Kong is the Self-Employed Program. If the citizens of Hong Kong want to apply for this program, they need to be 20-50 years old, have a diploma degree, pass IELTS General with the minimum score of 5.5, have settlement funds of 13,213 CAD, and gain at least two years of work experience as a self-employed.
In case, if you need assistance with Immigration to Canada from Hong Kong, please fill in application below or contact us directly.