Canadian plan to clear Hongkonger migration backlog welcomed but questions remain
A Canadian goal of clearing a backlog of more than 30,000 applications from Hongkongers awaiting permanent residency is “encouraging” but questions remain about whether it can be achieved by 2027, advocates and immigration experts have said. Experts and Canadian parliamentarians said on Saturday that Ottawa’s new one-off measure to add more quota spaces to clear the Hong Kong immigration pathways…
Canada's plan to address the backlog of over 30,000 Hongkongers awaiting permanent residency is met with encouragement, but questions persist about its achievability by 2027. The government's one-time measure to add quota spaces aims to process all remaining applications under the Hong Kong pathways by the end of 2027. Since its launch in 2021, more than 14,500 permanent resident applications have been processed under the scheme, according to Canada's Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab.
The Hong Kong Pathway Alliance, an advocacy group, welcomed the government's intentions to tackle the long-standing issue and help reduce the backlog. However, Willis Fu Yiu-wai, an immigration consultant, cautioned that the backlog's clearance depends on various factors, and a significant reduction may take one to two years. Opposition MP Chak Au called for clear information on eligibility, processing timelines, and the quota's workings.
Meanwhile, New Democratic Party parliamentarian Jenny Kwan pledged to monitor the implementation of the measures.
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