Half of BN(O) migrants are jobless, but 99% have no plans of returning to Hong Kong, study finds

Hongkongers who have moved to Britain have struggled to find work, with half unemployed and those with jobs complaining of being overqualified and underpaid, despite being more highly educated than locals, a study has found.

Despite the difficulties, BN(O) migrants have elected overwhelmingly to stay in the United Kingdom, with 99 per cent saying they had no plans to return to Hong Kong, the survey released on Wednesday said.

“The most authoritative study to date of newly arrived UK migrants from Hong Kong, published today finds that most Hongkongers feel welcomed in Britain and 99 per cent plan to stay permanently,” said the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers and British Future, which conducted the poll.

Travelers wait at the departures hall at Hong Kong International Airport. About 172,500 Hong Kong residents applied for the BN(O) visa scheme between January 2021 and March this year. Photo: AP

They interviewed more than 2,000 Hongkongers who emigrated under the British National (Overseas) visa programme that offers a pathway to citizenship. About 172,500 Hong Kong residents applied for the visa scheme between its launch in January 2021 and March this year, with 96 per cent – or 166,420 – receiving approval.

The study examined a plethora of aspects of the migrants’ lives, including their sense of belonging and feeling welcomed, financial pressures and their physical and emotional well-being.

The report found 36 per cent of respondents held a graduate degree and 23 per cent had a postgraduate one, compared with 34 per cent of degree holders among the wider British population.

Only 52 per cent of respondents aged 65 and under had landed a job, and 47 per cent of those said their employment did not match their skills and experience, or did so only to a small degree.

It found 24 per cent reported being unhappy over their pay, and one-fifth said they were overworked.

The major issues hindering Hongkongers in the job market were a lack of confidence in their ability to speak English, a failure to have their qualifications recognised and a lack of career advice and support, according to the study.

Only 11 per cent of the respondents said that their spoken English was “very good”.

One in eight said they felt isolated at work, while 5 per cent reported instances of discrimination.

The survey organisers called on the British government to put in place strategies to “make the most” of migrants’ skills and potential and address the needs of Hongkongers through clearer access to guidance on jobs and careers. Migrants should also be referred to professional bodies to validate their qualifications, it added.

Financial stability was another concern, with 40 per cent saying it had worsened and 10 per cent saying it had “worsened greatly”, with the main contributing factor being a higher-than-anticipated cost of living.

The UK’s cost of living crisis began in 2021, the same time that some Hongkongers began emigrating.

But on the positive side, Hongkongers who had moved to the UK since 2021 reported feeling welcomed in their communities and said they were striving to integrate, with interactions with neighbours being the common type of social contact.

“Many Hongkongers arriving in the UK are highly educated, often skilled professionals – yet they are more likely to be unemployed or working in jobs below their skill level,” said Heather Rolfe, research director of think tank British Future and co-author of the report.

“The initial support they need – with English language, careers and employment advice – is often available but isn’t always being accessed.

“There is potential for Hongkongers to be a great migration success story. People are keen to integrate and settle in Britain long-term. They can build good lives here, help to fill skills gaps and stimulate economic growth across the UK. We just need to ensure they can find the right help at the start of that journey.”

Britain offered the visa scheme after Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in 2020. BN(O) migrants can apply for settled status after five years of qualifying residence, and after one year of settled status, they can apply for citizenship.