Hong Kong's second-generation emigrants return under new government scheme

A pilot immigration scheme for second-generation overseas Hongkongers had seen 68 applications approved in its first three months, up to the end of August.

The Immigration Department said it received about 370 inquiries and 119 applications. Most of the successful applicants had come from the United States, Canada and the Netherlands, it added.

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The figures came as new population projections showed the city's labour force will shrink by 500,000 people - 14 per cent of the workforce of 3.6 million last year - in the next 50 years.

The dependency ratio - the number of working people for every non-worker - will get worse. Last year, there were three workers for every five dependents; by 2064, it will be five workers to four dependents.

"[Those from] the Netherlands … have even less ties with Hong Kong as their parents emigrated earlier ... and have a better education and social background than most Hongkongers," said demographic expert and professor at the University of Hong Kong, Paul Yip Siu-fai.

Yip added he was very encouraged by the positive start to the government initiative, one of several intended to attract talent to the city amid a growing manpower shortage. Applicants must be aged 18 to 40, have a university degree, understand English or Chinese and prove they can afford to live in the city.

But the lack of objective statistics on the scheme meant it wasn't included in the population projections, said census commissioner Leslie Tang.