Question Period Note: HONG KONG

Hong Kong has a significant population of dual-national Canadian citizens, estimated at 300,000. The current civil unrest has raised questions about the Government of Canada’s readiness to respond should Canadian- residents in Hong Kong need to leave quickly. Questions have also been raised about whether Canada should be looking to resettle refugees, or persons in a refugee-like situation, out of Hong Kong.

• Since the beginning of the demonstrations in June 2019, there has been no disruption to immigration or passport operations at the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has been coordinating with other government agencies to ensure that, should an emergency situation arise, Canadians and their loved ones are able to depart Hong Kong and return to Canada safely.
Canadian Passport and Immigration Services

• The Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong delivers one of the largest passport operations abroad, and has dedicated resources devoted solely to providing passport services to Canadians.

• The Consulate can issue emergency travel documents within 24 to 48 hours and temporary passports within 72 hours.

• The Government has in place surge-capacity for passport and immigration services in the region.

• The Government is prepared to provide expedited services to Canadians in Hong Kong, and eligible family members, should an emergency situation arise.
Refugee Resettlement
• The United Nations Refugee Agency refers vulnerable and at-risk individuals for resettlement to Canada, where appropriate. Private sponsors may also refer refugees for resettlement when they are outside their country of origin.

• Canada’s Urgent Protection Program ensures that Canada is able to respond to urgent requests for resettlement of refugees under threat of being returned home, of expulsion or of facing direct threats to their lives.

Current Situation in Hong Kong

• The current situation in Hong Kong, while tense, is stable.

• Mission operations continue to be normal. Since the beginning of the demonstrations in June 2019 there has been no disruption to immigration operations in Hong Kong. All staff are safe and continued to report to work throughout the months of protests.

• Civil unrest began in June 2019 in opposition to a bill allowing criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China.

o Protests evolved to encompass demands for broader democratic reforms and an independent investigation into police treatment of protestors.
o Protests escalated, and have impacted the financial district, universities, the airport, major roadways and subway system.

• Given the large number of Canadians residing in Hong Kong, the potential impact on operations in Hong Kong could be significant should the civil unrest escalate.
o Most Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents in Hong Kong are dual nationals. Many do not hold a Canadian passport or Permanent Resident Card. Many are married to non-Canadian citizens.
o Canadian citizens require a Canadian passport to travel to Canada.
o Canadian Permanent Residents require a valid Permanent Resident Card or Permanent Resident Travel Document to travel to Canada.

Refugee Resettlement

• Residents of Hong Kong who fear persecution from the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities and flee to other countries can register with the state authorities or the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and apply for refugee status on the basis of a well-founded fear of persecution based on political opinion and/or other applicable reasons. The UNHCR can refer residents of Hong Kong to Canada through the Refugee Resettlement Program if they determine resettlement to be the best solution. Private sponsors in Canada may also submit applications on their behalf if they are outside Hong Kong.

• As part of Canada’s Refugee Resettlement Program, Canada reserves space for the resettlement of refugees facing immediate and imminent threats to their life, liberty or physical safety. The Urgent Protection Program ensures that Canada is able to respond to urgent requests (up to 200 cases a year) from the UNHCR for resettlement of refugees under threat of being returned home, of expulsion or of facing direct threats to their lives.

Canadians Residing in Hong Kong

• Global Affairs Canada estimates that there are nearly 300,000 Canadian citizens residing in Hong Kong.

Canadian Permanent Residents in Hong Kong

• The number of Canadian Permanent Residents currently residing in Hong Kong is unknown, but could be quite high.

IRCC Contingency Planning for Hong Kong

• Intensive planning has been ongoing since July 2019 both at the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong and in Ottawa.

• In Hong Kong, the Mission Emergency Response Team (ERT) was activated in July 2019. The ERT provides clear command and control mechanisms, allows emergency response staff to quickly understand their roles and provides for effective communications between the mission and HQ.

o The ERT continues to meet regularly to monitor the situation.

• In Ottawa, the Inter-departmental Task Force (ITF) was activated in August 2019. The ITF sets the overall strategic direction of the response and is the focal point for coordination between NHQ and other federal departments and organizations.

o The ITF was stood down on 18 October 2019 as the situation normalised.

Canadian Passport Services in Hong Kong

• The Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong delivers one of the largest passport operations abroad, and has dedicated resources devoted solely to providing passport services to Canadians.

• As of December 4th, 2019, the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong is delivering regular passports to Canadians within six working days, which is well within the service standard of 20 business days.

Immigration Services in Hong Kong

• The IRCC migration office at the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong is well-staffed, with 10 Canadian decision-making officers supported by 58 locally-engaged staff.

• As of December 4th, 2019, the IRCC migration office in Hong Kong is delivering immigration lines of business within departmental service standards.

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