IRCC requires Hong Kong Stream B applicants to show at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work in the three years before application and to have held a Canadian work permit for at least one year within that same period. Update: 2025-12-18.
Soheil Hosseini
December 18, 2025
Jurisdiction
Federal
Week
Week 51
Impact
Moderate
Programs Affected
IRCC requires 1,560 hours of Canadian work and one-year work permit for Hong Kong Stream B permanent residence applicants
Summary: IRCC has amended its program delivery instructions for Hong Kong PR Stream B, now requiring applicants to show both at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work within three years and possession of a Canadian work permit for a minimum of one year within that same period. Update date: 2025-12-18. IRCC has issued a program delivery update for the Permanent Residence Pathways for Hong Kong Residents (Stream B), clarifying the work experience assessment under the public policy. Source: IRCC program delivery update. Date: 2025-12-18. Program affected: Work Permit. Under the revised instructions, a Stream B principal applicant must:
- Have accumulated at least 1,560 hours of authorized Canadian work experience through paid full-time or part-time work at any skill levelwithin the three years before IRCC received the PR application; and
- Have held a Canadian work permit for a minimum of one yearwithin the three years before IRCC received the PR application. IRCC notes these are internal policy, procedures and guidance used by staff and posted publicly as a courtesy to stakeholders. Analysis and potential impacts:
- Positive: The update provides clear, measurable thresholds, confirms eligibility for part-time and any skill level work, and should reduce interpretive uncertainty for applicants and representatives.
- Potential constraints: Requiring a separate one-year work permit within the three-year window may exclude applicants who accrued sufficient hours under shorter permits, experienced status gaps, or transitioned between statuses. Emphasis on “authorized” work underscores the need for proper documentation of status and hours.
- Practical takeaway: Applicants should prepare evidence of both authorized work hours and work permit validity covering at least one year within the look-back period.
Closing: Stakeholders should review the updated IRCC guidance and ensure documentation aligns with the 1,560-hour and one-year work permit requirements when preparing Stream B applications.
Tags: IRCC, Hong Kong, Stream B, Permanent Residence, Canadian Work Experience, Work Permit, Public Policy, Immigration Update, Canada Immigration 2025, Program Delivery Update
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