We call for the extension and expansion of the Hong Kong Pathway Open Work Permit scheme.

We call for the:

• Removal of the 5 year restriction to include all persons who hold an eligible education credential without the 5-year graduation limitation.
• Addition of a human rights defender category to include individuals who can prove that they fall under the category of being prominently involved or supporting the pro-democracy movement and protests in 2019.
• Removal of the requirement for a police certificate from the Hong Kong Police and the introduction of security checks from the IRCC.
• Extension for the deadline for application.

The Open Work Permit scheme will expire in February 2023. We call for the extension of the scheme.

For recent graduates who met the 5-year graduation requirement at the time of applying for their open work permit, by the time their work permit is received and they have fulfilled the hours of work requirement, they are falling out of eligibility to apply for permanent residency under Stream B of the scheme. IRCC must make changes and let all Hong Kong Pathway Open work permit holders to apply for Stream B to become permanent residents of Canada.

Many frontline human rights defenders, including pro-democracy activists, lawmakers, journalists, and medical professionals and lawyers who assisted protestors do not currently qualify for the Open Work Permit. We call for the addition of this category to the Hong Kong Pathway.

Sadly, many Hongkongers involved in the pro-democracy movement are unable to access the current Open Work Permit scheme as they are required to go to the Hong Kong Police station to get a police certificate. This is a serious obstacle to accessing the scheme, which should be replaced by security checks from IRCC.

【爭取延長及擴大加拿大救生艇計劃】

加拿大救生艇計劃中的開放式工作簽證(OWP)將於2023年2月截止申請，我們現向加拿大政府爭取延長及擴大救生艇計劃。

我們爭取：

• 取消5年畢業限制，讓所有持有合格教育證書的香港人具有開放式工作簽證(OWP)及Stream B的申請資格；
• 新增「人權鬥士」類別，讓能證明自己曾參與2019年起香港民主抗爭的人士申請；
• 移除對申請人須取得香港警務處無犯罪紀錄證明書的要求，改由加拿大移民局對申請人進行安全調查；
• 延長計劃的申請時限。

現時，部分在申請OWP時符合5年畢業要求的香港畢業生，當他們達到工作時間的要求時，卻因Hong Kong Pathway政策同樣有5年畢業限制，而失去了以Stream B申請永久居留權的資格。我們認為加拿大移民部應讓所有成功申請OWP的香港人，符合資格以Stream B申請永久居留權。

另外，許多前線人權捍衛者，包括抗爭者、議員、記者以及協助抗爭者的醫護人員和律師等，同樣未能符合申請OWP的資格。我們爭取救生艇計劃增設「人權鬥士」類別，以協助上述曾為民主運動付出的香港人。

現時不少曾參與民主運動的香港人，因無法取得由香港警務處的無犯罪紀錄證明書，而未能申請OWP，這是整個計劃的一大障礙，應由加拿大移民局的安全調查取代。