My Take | The UK should do more to tap into the talent Hongkongers offer
While many former residents have encountered difficulties since making the move, they will, if properly utilised, be of great value to their new home
New year is a time for looking to the future. For many former Hong Kong residents living in the UK there will be a resolution to forge ahead with their careers as they adapt to a challenging economic environment.
Most of the more than 158,000 who have arrived since 2021 under Britain’s visa scheme for those with British National (Overseas) passports have settled in well. But many have encountered difficulties with the cost of living or finding jobs that match their qualifications and experience.
A survey released in October by think tank British Future and umbrella group Welcoming Committee for Hongkongers focused on these issues, building on a bigger poll in 2023. Interviews were conducted early this year with 96 Hongkongers who face such challenges.
The visa scheme, launched in response to the passing of a national security law for Hong Kong, coincided with a “cost of living crisis” in the UK, with inflation hitting double figures in 2022. It has since fallen to 3.5 per cent, but most arrivals from the city felt the impact.
This has taken a toll on their savings and hopes of buying a home. The latest survey found some have become more prudent than they were in Hong Kong, budgeting carefully.
“The overall impact of the rising cost of living has been a significant reshaping of expectations and a re-evaluation of long term goals to adapt to the new economic reality of life in the UK,” said the report.
