‘You have to adapt’: why Hongkongers living in UK feel move was worth it, despite less money and fewer friends
- Recent study finds 52 per cent of 2,000 Hongkongers who have moved under BN(O) visa scheme are jobless, but 99 per cent have no plans to live in Hong Kong again
- While many are struggling to find same type of jobs and social circle they previously enjoyed, they say their lives have changed in ways too important to give up
The lives of Jeffrey Lau and his family have changed dramatically since they moved from Hong Kong to Britain, with their overall income cut in half, their social circle made smaller and Lau going from a self-employed wedding videographer to a stay-at-home dad.
“The lifestyle is totally different, we do not spend much [money] in the UK,” the 40-year-old said. “I think the standard of living is much better in Hong Kong.”
Despite the upheaval the family has undergone, Lau said he planned to apply for British citizenship as his daughter had benefited from the less stressful education environment in the small north English town of Dewsbury, population 66,000, they now call home.
A recent study by the British Future and the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers found that 52 per cent of the 2,000 BN(O) holders interviewed were unemployed and 47 per cent of respondents worked in jobs that failed or barely managed to match their skills and experience.
