British Hong Kong

• We are deeply concerned about China's imposition of the National Security Law and, more broadly, the deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong.
• Against this backdrop, in November2020, the Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced initiatives to help more Hong Kongers come to Canada.
• Minister Mendicino announced today that the other 2 streams are now open, offering a path to permanent residence for eligible Hong Kong residents in Canada who are workers or recent graduates.
• The 2 additional pathways to permanent residence under this public policy are available to eligible Hong Kong residents who hold a valid passport issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China or by the United Kingdom to a British National (Overseas) from Hong Kong.

• This announcement also supports the commitments made by the Government of Canada to maintain the many connections between Canada and Hong Kong in response to the Chinese government's imposition and implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020.
• Canada is also introducing new measures to expedite documents for Canadians and Canadian permanent residents in Hong Kong, to speed up processing of permanent residence applications, including family sponsorship, which will benefit Hong Kong residents, and to encourage Hong Kong youth to study or work in Canada.
• "The people-to-people ties between Canada and Hong Kong are strong and deep, and these new measures celebrate those long-standing relationships.
• This community, along with the significant number of Canadians of Hong Kong descent in Canada, plays an important role in building vibrant bilateral relations.

• In addition, Hong Kong is the second most popular post-COVID study destination, just behind the US and ahead of the UK.
• The online survey, which asks university students in Hong Kong and the Mainland to share their overseas study plans and preferred study destinations after COVID-19 pandemic, was conducted between late April and early May 2020.
• Most of the respondents (84%) showed no interest in studying abroad after the pandemic, while only 16 per cent of respondents would consider pursuing further education overseas.
• About one-third of respondents prefer to study in Asian countries and regions including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.

British National (Overseas) status was created for people who lost their British Dependent Territories Citizenship upon the handover of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997. The government has responded to recent developments in Hong Kong by signalling a readiness to extend immigration options for people with British National (Overseas) status.

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• The Library briefings on Hong Kong: the Joint Declaration and Hong Kong in 2019 might also be of interest.
• The British National (Overseas) BN(O) status was created as part of the arrangements relating to the handover of sovereignty of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997.
• It caters for people who, prior to the handover, had British Dependent Territories Citizenship (BDTC) through a connection with Hong Kong.
• However, in the ten years leading up to the handover, they could apply for the newly created BN(O) status.
• Although there was an entitlement to be registered, BN(O) status was not conferred automatically.
• They have argued that to do so would risk undermining the commitments made under the UK-China Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.
• One of these, the Hong Kong Citizenship Selection Scheme, enabled 50,000 heads of household (and their dependants) to acquire British citizenship.
• Some veterans of the Hong Kong Military Service and Hong Kong Royal Naval Service consider that they were unfairly denied citizenship through the Scheme.
• Since 2016, the Home Office has been considering representations made on their behalf for British citizenship or the right of abode.