A lot of immigrants consider Canada for immigration due to the numerous job opportunities and quality of life it offers, including universal health care, free education, and social security for permanent residents and citizens.
In November of 2020, Canada introduced new immigration pathways to encourage Hong Kong youth to move to Canada from Hong Kong. These pathways also encompass special measures to facilitate the process of immigration to Canada from Hong Kong even further. The immigration pathways are specially generated for students and youth, including open work permit that leads to Canadian permanent residency.
Keep reading to learn everything about immigration to Canada from Hong Kong.
Moving to Canada from Hong Kong
There are many ways to get Canadian PR for Hong Kong citizens. It could be governed by the reason for moving.
Let’s have a look at some of the main programs for the most common goals.
Immigrate to Canada as a Worker / Express Entry
Do you have any skills and professional background?
If that is the case, you might want to have a closer look at the programs that are processed under the Express Entry system:
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC) – if you have at least a year of full-time Canadian work experience in the last 3 years;
- Federal Skilled Trades Class (FSTC) – if you are skilled in a trade listed in the NOC & have at least 2 years of recent full-time Canadian experience in the last 5 years;
- Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) – if you want to settle in a certain province or city;
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) – if none of the above fit to your case.
Check Now If You are Eligible For One of Canada’s Working Programs or Just Book a Free Consultation Call with An Immigration Expert
As for the Express Entry system, we tell more about how it works here.
Immigrate to Canada with Your Family
Looking to immigrate to Canada with your family?
If the answer is yes, you should know that if one of the parents or one partner has received a visa, the rest of the family can come along. That’s why as partners you may want to submit 2 applications as you never know who has better chances of receiving the visa.
Also, a student visa is easier to obtain than a working visa, and if one of the family members managed to achieve one, it can help bring the whole family to Canada.
This is the kind of creative solution a Canadian immigration consultant can help you with. That’s also why the best advice we can give you is to consult with an Immigration expert!
Temporary Immigration for Young Adults (18-35yo): IEC / Student Visa
Do you want to “try on” Canadian life before immigration?
Then you might want to explore International Experience Canada (IEC Canada).
This program is ideal for the country citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 who are looking to test the waters in Canada.
If approved for the program, applicants are permitted to live in Canada for up to two years to work, travel, and experience Canadian life.
This allows the individual to get a feel for what life in Canada would be like without making a full commitment from the start. If they can see themselves living here permanently, they can start the process of moving to Canada from Ireland.
Immigrate to Canada as a Student
Are you interested in studying in Canada?
Luckily, Canada is very welcoming for those who are looking for higher education.
In Canada, you can obtain a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) following most programs of study. Your PGWP can be valid for the same duration as your study permit, up to three years.
With its reputable educational system and high-ranking universities, Canada is one of the most attractive countries for students from around the world.
To get into Canadian university, students need to get the student visa.
We described the process of becoming a Canadian student here.
Immigrate to Canada as an Entrepreneur or Investor
Do you want to get citizenship by investing in Canada’s economy?
If so, then you may learn more about the Investor Visa.
Do you have the skills, talent, and funds to build or establish a business in Canada?
Then Start-up visa could be an option for you. You may learn more about it here.
You may also have a look at our guide that covers business immigration.
Family Sponsorship In Canada
Immigration is faster and easier for those who have relatives in Canada. Possibly, you have someone you want to move your family after you immigrate.
If that is the case, Family Sponsorship options could be perfect for you.
This pathway works in one of two ways – inland or outland. The inland sponsorship is when the individual sponsored is already living in Canada, while the outland sponsorship is for someone currently living outside of Canada.
You may learn about Family Sponsorship here.
Why Immigrate to Canada? Top Reasons to Move to Canada from Hong Kong
There are many reasons why Hong Kong migration to Canada sounds like a great idea. Here are some factors that make immigration to Canada from Hong Kong worth the move.
Reason 1: Lifestyle and Safe Future
Chance of a better lifestyle and a safe future. Canada is a great place to raise a family, with social security, free education, universal health care, and access to world-class universities.
The excellent job opportunities, employee benefits, and retirement programs all enhance the quality of life and make it a wonderful location to settle down.
Reason 2: A Chance to Study in One of the Universities in Canada
Canada offers competent study programs with scholarships available for international students.
Canada has some of the top universities in the world including:
- British Columbia University
- British Columbia Institute of Technology
- McGill University
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Simon Fraser University
- Vancouver Film School
Studying in Canada is one of the most common and easiest ways to immigrate to Canada.
Reason 3: Work-Life Balance
People can maintain a good work-life balance. There’s no need to plan foreign trips as the vast and beautiful land of Canada is filled with beauty and stunning landscapes.
Reason 4: Immigration Is Easy
The relative ease of getting permanent residency status and eventually citizenship of the country makes immigration to Canada attractive. With new immigration pathways, moving to Canada from Hong Kong has become easier than ever.
Check out if you are eligible for immigration to Canada within a few minutes:
Life in Canada vs Life in Hong Kong
With every big move, one has to weigh out the pros and cons.
Similarly, moving to Canada from Hong Kong has its own sets of pros and cons. Here are some factors to compare the lifestyle between Canada and Hong Kong.
Weather
One major difference between the two countries is the weather. Canada has short-lived summers, which can range from pleasant to sweltering hot depending on the city you choose for settling down.
Winters in Hong Kong are pretty mild, with very rare chances of frost and no snowfall. On the other hand, Canada receives a generous amount of snowfall in winters, and some areas get brutally cold in peak winter months.
Therefore one of the biggest change when moving to Canada from Hong Kong is the completely different weather, where the humidity and heat is replaced with chilly winds and snowfall.
Landscape and Nature
While Hong Kong is known for its architectural beauty and eccentric attractions, Canada is filled with a lot of natural beauty with a laid back and slower pace of life.
The bustling and fast moving pace of Hong Kong doesn’t really match with the calm and tranquil atmosphere of Canada that allows for a better balance between work and personal life. It’s more of a choice between city life and nature life – not to take away from the advanced metropolitan cities of Canada.
Canada is much larger by land area, covering about 9.98 million sq. km. as compared to Hong Kong which only covers about 1,104 sq. km. With all that land present to enhance the beauty of Canada, it’s only natural to have such marvelous natural beauty with tall standing mountains, lush prairies and enchanting lakes and rivers.
If you are someone who enjoys such breathtaking beauty and prefer to live close to it with access right at your back door, it is a great option to immigrate to Canada. Another perk of moving to Canada from Hong Kong includes a quieter atmosphere away from the city crowd, noises and pollution.
Economy and Cost of Living
Cost of living is one of the biggest factors to solidify your decision to immigrate to Canada from Hong Kong. You will have to pay more taxes while living in Canada, but it also comes with a lot of benefits that greatly improve the quality of life.
In general, it’s cheaper to live in Canada than Hong Kong, except for dining out.
Utilities, bills and general cost of living is more affordable in Canada, with cheaper rents, especially given the space your get.
The youth in Hong Kong struggle with work-life balance because a huge chunk of their earnings goes towards paying rent, which is a huge deal-breaker for settling down. Therefore, in terms of cost of living, Hong Kong migration to Canada is a pretty good option for the youth. You can also find better chances of career advancement with a decent salary package in Canada.
Recommended Canada Immigration Consultants for Hong Kong Residents
Don’t know where to begin?
Immigration could be challenging. But there are professionals (RCICs) who know everything about available immigration programs and how to come up with a plan that would bring you the desired permanent residency.
The trick is finding the right RCIC or agency for Hong Kong residents. Canada2036 has put together a top Recommended Canadian Immigration Consultants list based on extensive research, customer testimonials, and other vetting methods.
- UIS Canada is a professional immigration consultancy that upholds a spotless and proven track record of providing the highest quality customer service. They make sure that clients have all the most up-to-date information, thus avoiding any unnecessary delays in their immigration process.
- UIS only works with RCICs and they specialize in permanent residency and temporary visas.
- Great North Visa is a top-tier, solution-driven consulting firm committed to facilitating their clients’ main objective of receiving the Canadian visa they require by providing a wide range of immigration services and settlement solutions designed to simplify your immigration process.
- Great North Visa puts an entire team of selected Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) at your disposal.
Canada Hong Kong Pathway: Commonly Asked Questions
Here are some questions you may have about immigration from Hong Kong to Canada.
