Canada expects to clear Hong Kong 'lifeboat' PR backlog by 2027
Canada's 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan includes a temporary measure to grant up to 200,000 extra permanent residence slots. The humanitarian stream targets remaining Hong Kong 'lifeboat' scheme applications, with backlog expected cleared by 2027.
Canada expects to clear a backlog of permanent residency applications from Hong Kong residents under its 'lifeboat' scheme by 2027, following an immigration policy update announced on Thursday by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The update came as part of Canada's newly unveiled 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, a three-year roadmap that maintains an annual target of roughly 380,000 new permanent residents while capping new temporary resident arrivals at 370,000 per year.
A key component of the updated strategy is a time-limited, one-year measure providing up to 200,000 additional permanent residence slots outside standard immigration caps. The measure targets individuals already residing in Canada who have contributed to local communities.
The intake will be split evenly across two streams: up to 100,000 spots for a worker cohort and up to 100,000 spots for a humanitarian cohort. The humanitarian stream includes applicants under the Hong Kong Lifeboat Scheme as well as the Ukraine Family Reunification Pathway.
The humanitarian allocation will cover individuals residing in Canada who applied through designated pathways, specifically aiming to finalise all remaining applications under the Hong Kong permanent residence pathway, which officially closed to new applicants on 31 August. As a result, Hong Kong applicants who submitted their paperwork before the cutoff date and remain in the queue can expect their files to be processed within 2027.
IRCC emphasised that the temporary arrangement does not constitute a new immigration pathway, nor will it result in a permanent increase to annual immigration targets moving forward.
