Hong Kongers in the UK
Total population
Hong Kong-born residents
111,733 (2011 census)
123,411 (excluding Scotland) (2021 census)
Languages
English (British English, Hong Kong English), Hong Kong Cantonese, Hong Kong Hakka
Religion
Atheism, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism
Related ethnic groups
British Chinese, Britons in Hong Kong

Hong Kongers in the United Kingdom (also known as Hong Kong Britons) are people from Hong Kong who are residing in the United Kingdom or British nationals of Hong Kong origin or descent.

Background

The United Kingdom has historically been a popular destination for Hong Kong immigrants due to the colonial relationship between the two territories.[1] The British Nationality Act 1948 allowed Hong Kong-born residents to move to the UK free of restriction. The UK's popularity among immigrants was also helped by the fact that the English language enjoys official status in both territories. While many Hong Kong-born residents of the UK are ethnically Boat Dwellers and Chinese, others include the children of colonial parentage (British and/or other European heritage, and people with ancestries from other parts of the former British colonial empire) born in Hong Kong prior to the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997.[2]

In July 2020, following the implementation of new security laws in Hong Kong by China, the UK offered a path to residency for British Nationals (Overseas) in Hong Kong.[3] In 2021, 103,900 people applied for the BN(O) visa.[4] As of December 2022, a total of 153,708 BN(O) Hong Kong visas had been granted.[5]

Demographics

The 2001 census recorded 96,445 Hong Kong-born people residing in the United Kingdom.[6] The 2011 census recorded 98,724 Hong Kong-born people resident in England, 3,517 in Wales,[7] 7,586 in Scotland[8] and 1,906 in Northern Ireland.[9] The figure Scotland was 7,068 in 2001 and 5,910 in 1991.[10][11] The 2021 census recorded 117,714 Hong Kong-born people resident in England, 3,715 in Wales and 1,982 in Northern Ireland.[12] [13]

Hong Kongers who migrated to the UK under the BN(O) pathway introduced in 2020 are generally older and higher-educated than other immigrants to the UK. According to The Economist, reasons for this demographic include the fact that only people born before 1997 are eligible for British National (Overseas) status, and that families with children are particularly eager to emigrate from Hong Kong following the introduction of the territory's national security law.[14]

Community

Hong Kong migrants under the BN(O) pathway have created several self-help organisations, including Hongkongers in Britain and the Sutton Hongkongers Group, to support and advocate for each other since the BN(O) path to residency was introduced in 2020. Many of these organisations were set up because many new Hong Kong migrants are afraid of Chinese community groups which are aligned with the government of Communist China.[14]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "香港移民潮：戰後港人歷次「走出去」的因由". BBC News 中文 (in Traditional Chinese). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "Born abroad: Hong Kong". BBC News. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  3. ↑ "Hong Kong security law: Why we are taking our BNOs and leaving". BBC News. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Summary of latest statistics". GOV.UK. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  5. ↑ "How many people do we grant protection to?". Home Office. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Country-of-birth database". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Archived from the original on 25 April 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  7. ↑ "2011 Census: Country of birth (expanded), regions in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  8. ↑ "Country of birth (detailed)" (PDF). National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "Country of Birth – Full Detail: QS206NI". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  10. ↑ "Scotland's Diaspora" (PDF). gov.scot.
  11. ↑ Scottish Government, St Andrew's House (5 October 2009). "Scotland's Diaspora and Overseas-Born Population".
  12. ↑ "Country-of-birth (detailed)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "MS-A17 Country of birth - intermediate detail". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Britain's newest immigrant group is unlike any that came before". The Economist. 23 September 2021. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  15. ↑ "Gok Wan: 'I call my family the Transformers. Once we lock together, we become a force'". the Guardian. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
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