Canada’s temporary permanent residence pathways for eligible Hong Kong residents will stop accepting new applications after August 31, 2026. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has confirmed that applications received on or before the deadline will continue to be processed. The closure affects new applications only; it does not cancel applications already submitted.

Express Entry is Canada's most competitive pathway to permanent residence — and your Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score is the single number that determines whether Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sends you an Invitation to Apply (ITA). Without an ITA, you cannot submit a permanent residence application through Express Entry. Understanding how your score is calculated is not optional; it is the foundation of any serious immigration strategy.

For many newcomers, the difference between an open work permit and an employer‑specific (closed) work permit is not explained clearly at the start. They only discover the limits when a job offer changes, a workplace becomes unsafe, or a better opportunity appears in another province. By then, the wrong decision can be expensive, stressful, and difficult to unwind.