Italians in Hong Kong: young, ambitious and making the most of opportunities in the city
More Italians are moving to the city, encouraged by the career opportunities and lower tax rates, and they are a younger crowd, employed on local terms. We talk to settlers new and old about la dolce vita in Hong Kong
Anna Romagnoli arrived in Hong Kong from Milan at the age of 21 and worked as an intern at the Italian Chamber of Commerce. She only intended to stay a few months, but four years down the road she is the chamber’s general manager and has no plans to leave.
“The career and the opportunities here are 10 times more and 10 times faster than in Italy,” she says.
Romagnoli is typical of the young Italians flocking to Hong Kong. The city has seen a more than 80 per cent increase in Italians moving here since 2011, bringing the total to 3,648, according to the Italian consulate in the city, and the trend looks set to continue.
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A lacklustre economy back home combined with good career opportunities and revised legislation that does away with double taxation makes Hong Kong an attractive proposition, she says.
“In Italy, it takes at least 10 years to get established in a career, but in Hong Kong you can do that in two or three years. Even in big companies it’s possible to climb the ladder quickly,” Romagnoli says.
It is young people – in their 20s and 30s – who have boosted the numbers in the Italian community. They are at the beginning of their careers and are usually employed on local terms. The demise of generous expat packages that included housing, education and flights back home means fewer established, mid-career, middle-aged Italians are coming to town.
