Hong Kong is one of the world’s best places to live and work – but for how much longer?

Bernard Chan says fears of a Hong Kong brain drain are overblown. The city’s long life expectancy, high education levels and low crime rate are just some of the advantages it offers residents, but key livelihood issues have become a concern

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People cross the street at a busy intersection in Causeway Bay in November 2012. Hong Kong’s emigration could rise dramatically if the government fails to address key livelihood and quality of life issues. Photo: AFP

Bernard Chan

Bernard Chan, born in 1965, is a Hong Kong businessman.

Published: 10:00am, 18 Jan 2019Updated: 10:17am, 18 Jan 2019

The latest Henley Passport Index has just been in the news. This is a table of some 200 different passports listed in order of how many countries and territories the holders can visit without a visa.

The Hong Kong passport this year comes in at 19th place and entitles holders to enter 169 countries and territories without a visa. The top passport – Japan’s – gives visa-free access to 190 places. The China passport is ranked 69th with visa-free access to 74 places.

This ranking shows a high degree of international recognition of our travel documents. In day-to-day terms, it means a great deal of convenience for Hongkongers. Essentially, it indicates that foreign border control officials are confident that we have no reason to overstay and will go back home.

However, a narrative I have seen recently in several international news outlets suggests something a bit different: that a growing number of people are thinking of emigrating from Hong Kong.

Passengers line up at the departures lobby at Hong Kong International Airport. People travelling with a Hong Kong passport have visa-free access to 169 countries. Photo: David Wong

Stories of a brain drain are not new. A Chinese University survey shows a fairly consistent level of around a third of people interested in leaving. Security Bureau estimates show that annual emigration numbers have declined from the peak of 10,300 in 2006 to a new low of around 6,500 in 2017. We also have a steady stream of returnees, of course.