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HKFP
4 days ago
- Business
- HKFP
‘Hanging halfway': In wake of Canada's immigration delay, Hongkong emigrants ponder whether to stay or return home
When Hongkonger Leonald Lee emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in July 2023, his plan was simple: find a full-time job and work there for at least one year, submit his application for permanent residence, and enrol in a master's degree programme after obtaining his PR status for much cheaper tuition. Lee, a former journalist, was off to a good start when he secured a minimum-wage job at a telecommunications company a month after his arrival. It was not the most exciting work, and his salary often arrived late. However, the 26-year-old did not mind because he had a clear goal in mind: he needed to accumulate enough work hours for his permanent residence application under the Hong Kong Pathway programme. Lee's seemingly straightforward plan took a turn earlier this year when he 'sensed something was not right.' In group chats with other Hongkongers in Canada, he found that more and more people were complaining that there had been no updates on their PR applications submitted months, or even over a year, ago. One night in March, Lee could not fall asleep and turned his mind to calculating the processing time for his application, which he filed in September last year. Using statistics reported by Hong Kong media citing Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Lee estimated he might have to wait at least three years before his application was processed. Lee's estimation was confirmed by the IRCC soon after. On March 18, the IRCC announced there would be a years-long delay in processing permanent residence applications from Hongkongers under the lifeboat programme. The Canadian immigration authorities said that as of October 31, 80 per cent of permanent residence applications were processed within a year. But a backlog has emerged due to a high volume of applications received, and most applications are expected to be processed after 2027. 'What I thought would be a straightforward trilogy turned out to be much longer. I guess it is like The Lord of the Rings, with three thick volumes,' Lee said in Cantonese in a phone interview with HKFP. Moon Ho, a Hong Kong nurse who emigrated to Toronto in February 2023, has tried to follow up on her permanent residence application, which she submitted in September. In April, the 27-year-old spent a week trying to call the IRCC after reading guides provided by fellow Hongkongers in Canada on which lines were more likely to reach the office successfully. When she was finally put through to the office, she was told that her application had been received, but no one had 'opened her file' yet. The waiting time was 'far beyond' her expectations, Ho told HKFP, adding that she was constantly worried she might lose her job after her original permit expires in February next year. Although she can extend her permit or apply for a bridging work permit during her wait, news of other Hongkongers being rejected for unknown reasons has made her question her chances of success. 'I really love my current job in the intensive care unit, which I had to enrol in a course and take exams to get into,' she said. 'I really don't want to lose this job.' Ho's boyfriend, who moved to Toronto with her, is also waiting for his application to be processed. The architectural graduate from Hong Kong had intended to advance his career by pursuing a master's degree after gaining PR status. He is currently stuck in mid-senior jobs, as higher positions require a master's degree, but he cannot afford to pay the international student tuition fees. Confusion, frustration Lee and Ho are not the only ones pondering their future in Canada. In recent months, Hongkongers in Canada have taken to social media to express their confusion and frustration at the lack of updates on their permanent residence applications. Many provided timelines of their applications and said they had not been instructed to take the next step, like submitting biometrics. A netizen wrote on Threads in May that they felt 'very stressed and exhausted' because their work permit would expire in weeks, while their permanent residence application submitted last year had not been updated since. A renewal of the work permit was filed several months ago, but the application is still being processed, they said. The Threads user also said their grandmother's health had deteriorated, and they wanted to return to the city to see her, but they were also concerned about their status once they left Canada. It is unclear whether applicants can wait for their permanent residence applications to be processed outside Canada. The lifeboat scheme, introduced in June 2021 in response to the Beijing-imposed national security law enacted in Hong Kong in 2020, is set to expire on August 31, 2026. The lifeboat scheme offers two pathways. Stream A allows recent graduates from Canadian institutions to seek permanent residence. Stream B, on the other hand, allows Hongkongers to obtain a three-year permit to work in Canada. Those who have worked full-time in Canada for at least one year, or spent at least 1,560 hours in total undertaking part-time work, may apply for permanent residence. In June last year, advocacy group Hong Kong Watch told the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of the Canadian parliament that around 60,000 Hongkongers had arrived in Canada three years after the temporary immigration policy was launched. Lee and Ho are among more than 40,500 Hongkongers under Stream B who had obtained a three-year permit to work in Canada as of December 31, 2024 – most of them recent postsecondary graduates. Lee said the threshold for emigrating to Canada was 'low' under the Pathway scheme, and many Hong Kong immigrants did not anticipate that the wait for PR applications would be long, as earlier batches of applicants obtained their status rather quickly when there were fewer applicants. The IRCC said in March that, with the two streams combined, it received more than 26,500 permanent residence applications as of October 31. Only more than 10,500 have been approved, while fewer than 200 applications have been refused. To accommodate the processing time, Canada offered a new work permit for Hongkongers in May last year to allow them to stay in the country while they await a decision on their applications. The permit is valid for up to three years and can be renewed. Advocacy efforts Since last year, advocacy groups and politicians have called on the Canadian government to tackle the backlog and maintain its pledge to grant permanent residence to Hongkongers. In September, Tom Kmiec, a Conservative Party MP, presented a petition to the Canadian parliament, urging the IRCC to accelerate the approval process and ensure that applications from Hongkongers would not be rejected due to the target restrictions. The petition referred to Canada's Immigration Levels Plan for 2025 to 2027 for the Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) and Other Category, under which the Hong Kong Pathway programme falls. Canada is seeking to reduce the annual number from 10,000 in 2025 to 6,900 in 2026. The number is expected to drop further to 4,300 in 2027. The reduced target number prompted further questions about whether Hong Kong immigrants under the lifeboat scheme would be affected. The petition, which gathered nearly 15,000 signatures, also asked Canadian authorities to automatically review permits or visas for the Hong Kong applicants who arrived in Canada via Stream A or B. Kmiec told HKFP in a video interview that the estimated backlog was over 18,300 as of December 2024. The Conservative Party MP said he received a lot of requests for assistance from Hongkongers who had issues when they tried to renew their work permits while waiting for their PR applications to be processed. Some Hongkongers received letters from the IRCC claiming that their maintained status – a legal mechanism allowing temporary residents to remain in Canada while their application to extend or change their status is being processed – would expire in five months, or when the IRCC issued a response to their PR application, whichever is earlier. Given that the waiting time has exceeded five months, some Hongkongers are concerned that they could lose their jobs if their employers refuse to continue hiring them after their maintained status expires, Kmiec said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Kmiec (@tomkmiec) When Kmiec presented the issue in parliament in November, James McNamee, director general of the IRCC's Family and Social Immigration Branch, said that what was stated in the letters was an 'error' and that the authorities would 'amend' the wording. 'It's an error in the wording of that letter,' McNamee said. 'When that letter was originally created, we were within a much faster processing time… in recent months, with delays, it's taking longer. We have asked to amend that letter.' The official added that applicants may retain their status until they receive a decision from the IRCC without any limitation. Kmiec, who is also the shadow minister for immigration, refugees and citizenship, criticised the Canadian government for having 'no intentionality' behind its immigration. Many temporary measures were introduced to 'get through a particular crisis' without considering the future of immigrants, he said. Sense of belonging With around 10 months left before her work permit expires, Ho does not want the stress concerning her future in Canada to affect her daily life. She has decided to put everything to the back of her mind until September, when she will have to start preparing to extend her work permit or apply for a new one. Lee will make a decision soon. He will see his family in Hong Kong in mid-June, and he will decide whether he should stay in Canada. The chance of staying is slim, he told HKFP, given the foreseeable years-long wait, which he said made him feel like 'hanging halfway up in the air.' 'I used to see a path ahead of me, but I began to wonder what I was doing here. Compared to the first year [in Canada], the feeling of sadness is stronger,' Lee said. Reflecting on his stay in Canada for around two and a half years, Lee said it made him contemplate the meaning of freedom. While Hong Kong's political landscape in recent years was one of the reasons the former journalist chose to move abroad, he felt that the freedom he experienced in Canada was 'a bit useless.' His lack of a sense of belonging to the community in Canada was also why he lost interest in continuing to work in journalism after emigrating. 'I think the reason why many Hongkongers wanted more freedom is that they wanted to shape the future direction of society. But when we are in a city that does not belong to us, even if we have the freedom to speak up, it is purely just talk,' he said. Push factors For many Hongkongers in Canada, the hope of becoming a permanent resident is what draws them to stay in the country. For some, however, the push factors are greater. Alex Chu, 41, returned to Hong Kong in July last year, shortly after obtaining his Canadian permanent residency. The software engineer and his wife moved to Toronto in early 2022. He told HKFP in an interview that after living there for six months, they noticed that the crime rates were high and they did not feel comfortable living in an area with legal drug injection sites and many homeless individuals. The slower pace of life in Toronto, which initially attracted Chu, also turned out to be a mismatch. While he enjoyed strolling in a park and resting on the lawn, repeating this activity almost every weekend made the Hongkonger feel it was 'too early for retirement.' Despite the difference in lifestyle, Chu still applied for permanent residence in August 2023 after completing his postgraduate diploma. What prompted him to return to Hong Kong was the IRCC's rejection of his wife's work permit renewal, stating that her work at the time could not be proven to be significant or beneficial to the Canadian economy. Chu said it was a mistake on the part of the immigration authorities, as such a requirement is not applicable to applicants under the Hong Kong Pathway programme. The couple decided to return to Hong Kong and travel to Japan briefly while their case is on appeal. This was also to ensure his wife was not staying in Canada illegally, Chu said. During their trip, Chu received updates from the IRCC indicating that the renewal denial was not a mistake. However, days later, the IRCC notified them again that the work permit renewal was 'in process,' and it was approved later. 'This experience really made me lose confidence in the Canadian immigration authorities,' he said. Criticism of the Canadian government is often unwelcome among Hong Kong immigrants, Chu said. He has seen comments online asking those who complained to be 'thankful' to Canada for offering additional permanent residence pathways to Hongkongers. 'Of course, we should not take it for granted, but it is a commercial deal. We are bringing money into Canada when we study, pay rent, pay tax and consume,' he said. Other options Pressure groups and politicians such as Kmiec continue to help Hongkongers who have difficulty extending their stay in Canada while waiting for their PR applications to be processed. Kmiec told HKFP that he has spoken with several provincial immigration ministers to find other settlement programmes for Hongkongers in Canada as alternative pathways to permanent residence. It is 'not very productive' to fight with the government on the target numbers, he said, especially with the general sentiment among the Canadian public that immigration levels should go down. He suggested that Hongkongers explore other options as a more feasible solution. Kmiec acknowledged that the Canadian government disappointed Hongkongers with the prolonged processing time. However, the politician also pointed out that the Pathway programme was meant to be a 'one-time escape' for Hongkongers involved in the 2019 protests, and people had to 'make the best decision for themselves.' 'I can't see this Pathway programme continuing on much longer, because the expectation is that those who wanted to escape had the opportunity, they just may not have the opportunity to get PR for an extended period of time until we sort out this immigration system,' he said.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘Opportunity I could not let pass': Hong Kong expats embrace life in Qatar
Hongkonger and Christian William Soo Yau-kung beat the odds by starting a new chapter in his career eight years ago at the age of 50, relocating to the Islamic country of Qatar, an unconventional choice perhaps for expats. 'Working for Qatar [Airways] is like playing an international match as I get to work alongside top engineers from around the world – holding almost 200 different passports – which motivates me to learn more and do better,' the flight operations engineer said. 'While most companies concentrate their resources on daily operations, I was given a chance to build a new system, a project my company recognised for its long-term importance.' The job satisfaction, combined with an attractive package that included accommodation and his twin sons' education at an international school – comparable to that of a pilot in his previous company – has led to Soo's family staying in Doha for eight years. Soo and his wife shared their experiences with the Post from their home in Doha ahead of a visit by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and a delegation of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong entrepreneurs to Qatar and Kuwait last week to explore business opportunities. As a Christian family, Soo explained they had been able to find their religious community in the Muslim country but must adhere to the rules during Ramadan.
Time Out
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Time Out
Hong Kong warned of severe thunderstorms in the next few hours, with rain over the weekend
You're not really a true Hongkonger until you tick off certain boxes, and one of them is that you should always have an umbrella in your bag. Hong Kong's weather can be unpredictable, intensely sunny one moment and then pouring it down the next – like today, for instance. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has issued a thunderstorm alert and warned that a trough of low pressure is bringing intense thundery showers to the area today. According to updates posted just before 11am on May 9, severe squally thunderstorms and violent gusts are expected to hit within the next couple of hours and affect the territories. Rainfall and northerly winds will be stronger in some areas of Hong Kong, with gusts of approximately 80km per hour recorded on Green Island around 11.05am. Our city's weather watchdog has also warned the public to 'seek safe shelter immediately if you are staying outdoors'. The current forecast shows that thunderstorms will continue along the coast of southern China today and tomorrow, and the rain is likely to persist through the weekend. At least temperatures will cool off slightly, with the weather looking to improve from Sunday into early next week.
The Star
04-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Hongkongers urged not to slam acupuncture treatment after ‘flesh-eating' infection
The head of an industry body for traditional Chinese medicine practitioners has said it is still too soon to jump to any conclusions after a Hongkonger suffered a 'flesh-eating infection' and had his leg amputated following an acupuncture treatment, stressing that the risk involved is low. Chan Wing-kwong, chairman of the Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association, said on Wednesday that the case revealed by health authorities the previous day could be an isolated incident, adding that the patient had underlying illnesses. 'Residents do not need to be worried when they receive an acupuncture treatment by registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, as we have certain anti-infection guidelines and procedures,' Chan said during a radio programme. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. 'This is an isolated incident. Based on the available information, this is the first time such an incident has occurred in Hong Kong ... Before the case is fully investigated, our comments and judgments will be unfair to the practitioner and patient.' The Centre for Health Protection announced on Tuesday that the Hong Kong man, 47, had undergone an amputation of his left lower leg two days after he contracted Group A Streptococcal bacteria and was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis, following acupuncture treatment he received at two traditional Chinese medicine clinics. Necrotising fasciitis is commonly known as 'flesh-eating infection'. Department of Health personnel investigated the acupuncture treatment premises, reviewed procedures and collected environmental samples from one practitioner. It discovered that one environmental sample tested positive for Group A Streptococcus, which matched that of the affected patient's sample. The department added that during its investigation, its team suspected that the traditional Chinese medicine practitioner involved had not 'strictly followed infection control procedures'. A genetic analysis to identify the source of infection was still ongoing. 'I believe that the Chinese medicine practitioner does not only see one patient a day. They would see many of them and perform acupuncture on them as well,' Chan said. 'The issue has only occurred with one patient, so we must investigate to see whether this was the fault of the Chinese medicine practitioner.' Chan, also a lawmaker, said that traditional Chinese medicine practitioners took multiple steps to prevent infection when performing acupuncture. The steps include sterilising the treatment area with alcohol, washing their hands, using single-use needles and ensuring their hands do not touch the tip of the needle. These measures even extended to the beds to conduct treatments, with practitioners using single-use bedsheets or performing sterilisation before they are used again. Group A Streptococcus bacteria are considered the most common cause of flesh-eating infection, which can enter the body through a wound in the skin and can be transmitted by droplets and physical contact. It can cause mild diseases in healthy people, but the risk to the elderly and people with chronic illnesses like diabetes is higher, according to the Department of Health, which has called on the public to maintain good hygiene and take good care of wounds. More from South China Morning Post: For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2025.
South China Morning Post
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong creator of Carbi the rice ball shares how the soft toy increased her confidence
Every week, Talking Points gives you a worksheet to practise your reading comprehension with exercises about the story we've written. With a round, huggable body and an assortment of mischievous expressions, Carbi the rice ball is a soft toy making waves in Hong Kong. Carbi's creator, 26-year-old illustrator Carina Wong, said the toy's name was a playful nod to the word 'carbohydrates'. 'Rice is a staple across Asia and my personal favourite food,' the Hongkonger explained. According to Wong, Carbi's basic rice ball form is a perfect blank canvas for the imagination, and its simplicity invites endless possibilities for what it can represent. 'This allows individuals to connect with Carbi in their own unique way and project their personal ideas and feelings onto the character,' she explained. Seriously cute: psychologist explains Chiikawa's popularity among Hong Kong youth Each Carbi plush tells its own little story through its unique expressions. Wong said her top three favourites are the 'sleepy Carbi', 'smiling Carbi', and 'slightly frustrated Carbi', explaining that since these emotions are 'universally human', they make the character more relatable. Wong, who also has a full-time job as a graphic designer, created the character in 2020. She was inspired by the two loves of her life: rice and her nine-year-old Pomeranian, Muffin. 'The idea behind Carbi actually came from how much happiness Muffin brings me and my family. These cherished memories we create together are the foundation of Carbi's being,' she said. Carbi (right) and his girlfriend, Carbina. Photo: Handout Finding comfort in Carbi Over the past three years, the whimsical character has even become a staple at POP TOY SHOW in Singapore, a major annual event in Southeast Asia for pop culture toys, collectibles and merchandise. Wong recounted how a young girl approached her at the event in August with her own Carbi plushie, saying it helped her feel safe at night and protected her from nightmares. 'I was really touched [to hear that] because I used to be this girl who found comfort in my soft toy when I was scared,' she said. Carbi at the POP TOY SHOW held in Singapore last August. Photo: Handout 'To have this child tell me how Carbi has such a positive impact on her further motivated me to give back to the community, especially in the area of mental health.' She noted that teenagers in Hong Kong face lots of academic pressure while navigating the complexities of adolescence. In such times, characters like Carbi can provide a unique form of support, acting as a silent companion when they need to process their feelings privately. Top 10: The blind box toys readers would create Taking chances Carbi has also made a difference in Wong's personal life, helping her open up. 'A lot of people only know me as the rice ball girl. They did not know how I looked until very recently. I used to do only faceless [Instagram] reels as I am actually quite shy,' she said. Thanks to Carbi fans, she is getting more comfortable being on camera. 'The incredible encouragement and support from the Carbi community gave me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone,' she said. The illustrator is continuing to push her boundaries with her future creative projects. She is preparing for another toy show in August and already has new ideas for expanding the Carbi universe, which currently also includes Carbina, Carbi's girlfriend. 'I hope that by sharing my own journey, it encourages others to also take chances,' she said. 'It's OK to try and see what happens, regardless of the reaction.' To test your understanding of this story, download our printable worksheet or answer the questions in the quiz below.
