https://www.scmp.com/rss/508702/feed Ahead of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997, Britain granted the city’s residents born before the handover British National (Overseas) passports that allowed them to stay in the country for up to six months. In July 2020, the British government offered Hongkongers with BN(O) status and their dependants a pathway to citizenship, in response to Beijing's imposition of the national security law. From January 31, 2021, they can apply for a visa to work or live in Britain for five years,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com William Yiu William Yiu The UK government has confirmed that stricter English language requirements for immigrants announced earlier this month will not apply to Hongkongers using the British National (Overseas) visa pathway. The clarification from Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp came after more than 30 members of parliament sent a letter to the Home Office last month urging it to maintain the existing English threshold for BN(O) applicants. “The increase in the English language requirement in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347139/hongkongers-bno-pathway-wont-face-tougher-english-test-uk-confirms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3347139/hongkongers-bno-pathway-wont-face-tougher-english-test-uk-confirms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:21:04 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The United Kingdom’s decision to expand the British National (Overseas) route prompted me to revisit a passport I have kept for decades but never used. I once mistyped the final letter of the acronym as a zero; it felt less like an error than a clarification. Before 1997, when... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344745/passports-and-idea-belonging-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344745/passports-and-idea-belonging-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Nearly 670 Hongkongers have been granted settlement in the United Kingdom under its bespoke BN(O) visa pathway, although the total number of applicants has fallen short of the British government’s lowest “core” estimate five years after its launch. While tens of thousands of Hongkongers are set to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain, or settled status, this year, experts suggested that uncertainties over the UK’s long-term settlement of migrants could deter future applications. The UK... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344988/670-hongkongers-granted-settlement-uk-under-bno-visa-scheme-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344988/670-hongkongers-granted-settlement-uk-under-bno-visa-scheme-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:42:04 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The Chinese embassy in Britain has slammed London’s “malicious” plan to expand an immigration pathway for Hongkongers after the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison, accusing the UK of “manipulating” the issue. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy on Tuesday urged the UK government to stop interfering in China’s domestic affairs after it expanded the British National (Overseas) visa scheme in response to Lai’s sentencing. “The UK’s previous actions of this... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343026/chinese-embassy-uk-slams-bno-expansion-manipulating-jimmy-lai-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343026/chinese-embassy-uk-slams-bno-expansion-manipulating-jimmy-lai-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:33:14 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Connor Mycroft Ng Kang-chung,Connor Mycroft Hongkongers who were minors at the time of the 1997 handover to China will be eligible to apply for the British National (Overseas) pathway to UK citizenship independently of their parents, with 26,000 arrivals expected under the expanded scheme in the next five years. The move was a response to the 20-year prison sentence handed to former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying for convictions of national security-related charges in the city on Monday morning. In a statement on Monday, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342966/uk-expands-bno-scheme-more-hongkongers-following-jimmy-lai-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342966/uk-expands-bno-scheme-more-hongkongers-following-jimmy-lai-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:26:15 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo While China emerges as an unmistakable superpower, “Great” Britain or the “United” Kingdom increasingly sounds like self-mockery. Much of the UK outside London is threatening to descend into developing-world status. There have been at least a dozen instances of English councils declaring bankruptcy since 2018, while one in four could be insolvent by 2027. Diplomatically, it turns out the American cousin across the Atlantic thinks nothing of the so-called special relationship, as London... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342457/starmer-faces-hysterical-backlash-over-new-chinese-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342457/starmer-faces-hysterical-backlash-over-new-chinese-embassy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Nearly one-third of Hongkongers planning to settle in the UK under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme are retirees, homemakers or students, groups likely to be affected by a proposed income threshold for immigrants, a survey has shown. It also found that 16 per cent of BN(O) visa holders who had only completed secondary school might struggle to meet the tougher English-language requirement, according to a survey by the London-based Sutton Hongkongers group. The survey interviewed 690... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3334069/tougher-uk-immigration-rules-could-hit-hong-kong-bno-migrants-hard-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3334069/tougher-uk-immigration-rules-could-hit-hong-kong-bno-migrants-hard-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen The UK government has rowed back from setting tougher English language requirements on Hongkongers seeking to settle in the country through the British National (Overseas) pathway, saying it will be subject to consultation. Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp also said the government would consider extending the pathway to Hongkongers born after the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, who may not hold BN(O) passports. During a parliament debate on Tuesday about the Labour... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3334144/uk-back-pedals-tougher-english-language-test-hongkongers-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3334144/uk-back-pedals-tougher-english-language-test-hongkongers-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:59:08 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A UK-based platform supporting British National (Overseas) visa holders is launching a campaign to lobby against London’s proposed immigration reforms, calling them unfair and a source of “acute anxiety” for the Hong Kong community in the country. The Sutton Hongkongers group said people who had moved to Britain from the city felt that the UK government was “moving the goalposts”, making its past pledges a “broken promise”. The platform, founded by Richard Choi Ka-yuen, a Liberal Democrat... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333806/platform-hong-kong-bno-visa-holders-launches-campaign-against-new-uk-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333806/platform-hong-kong-bno-visa-holders-launches-campaign-against-new-uk-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:52:54 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Tighter English requirements for migrants moving to the UK may be challenging for many Hongkongers applying for a bespoke visa pathway, with some Britons even struggling to attain the level, a veteran teacher and a support group leader for new arrivals have said. The Home Office confirmed on Friday that Hongkongers using the British National (Overseas) visa scheme to move to the UK must meet a higher English-language level set for all migrants as part of a shake-up of the country’s immigration... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333798/tougher-english-rules-daunting-many-hong-kong-bno-holders-veteran-teacher?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3333798/tougher-english-rules-daunting-many-hong-kong-bno-holders-veteran-teacher?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun The biggest shake-up of Britain’s immigration system in nearly half a century will not affect a five-year pathway to permanent settlement for Hongkongers, the UK government has said. The British government unveiled a major shift in its profile for legal migrants on Thursday, saying it was prioritising those contributing to the UK economy and playing by the rules, days after announcing the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in decades. The government earlier announced it would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333590/hong-kongs-bno-holders-unaffected-uk-immigration-shake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333590/hong-kongs-bno-holders-unaffected-uk-immigration-shake?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:44:43 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Britain has reaffirmed its commitment to the Hongkongers it “repatriated” under a bespoke migration pathway, but it remains unclear how the scheme will be affected by what London has called “the most significant reform” to its immigration system. Consultations will be announced later this week to discuss the proposed changes to make asylum seekers wait 20 years, up from the current five-year requirement, before they can permanently settle in the United Kingdom. But concerns have been raised... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333222/britain-reaffirms-support-hongkongers-bno-visas-amid-sweeping-asylum-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3333222/britain-reaffirms-support-hongkongers-bno-visas-amid-sweeping-asylum-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 06:18:12 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu A UK Home Office minister has said that a proposal to extend the settlement period for Hongkongers from five to 10 years is subject to consultation, but their economic contribution is “huge and lasting”. Other parliamentarians in the debate agreed that Hongkongers should be exempt from the proposed extension announced by British authorities in May. They argued this change would be a betrayal of trust by moving the goalposts and would delay access to lower university tuition fees in the UK and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3324928/extending-hongkongers-uk-settlement-period-10-years-breach-trust-mp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3324928/extending-hongkongers-uk-settlement-period-10-years-breach-trust-mp?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:52:26 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Britain has endured another summer of discontent, with concerns about immigration sparking protests, court challenges and shifts in government policy. There has, thankfully, been no repeat of the riots which spread across the country last year. But there is much frustration and anger about the government’s inability to prevent thousands of asylum seekers arriving on small boats, with many housed in hotels at public expense. Populist politician Nigel Farage, whose anti-immigration Reform UK party... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3324618/britain-must-prove-its-commitment-bno-scheme-hk-migrants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3324618/britain-must-prove-its-commitment-bno-scheme-hk-migrants?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 14:26:26 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo An anonymous post to the popular Hong Kong YouTube news channel Bastille Post may be considered culturally illuminating. The news report, to which the post responded, said the UK Home Office disclosed that applications and arrivals from Hong Kong people under the BN(O) migration scheme have continued to decline since its introduction in 2021. “Some people prefer to live in big houses, clean air, social equality, easy living, safe food and polite cities,” the sarcastic post says. “Some people... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3323832/more-bnoers-find-uk-more-purgatory-heaven?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3323832/more-bnoers-find-uk-more-purgatory-heaven?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Aug 2025 15:07:39 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin The first batch of about 600 Hongkongers has been granted settlement in the United Kingdom as of June after the British government introduced a bespoke pathway for residents in 2021, the country’s authorities have said. The Home Office, which handles UK immigration, revealed on Thursday the figures under the British National (Overseas), or BN(O), visa scheme, which typically requires these passport holders from Hong Kong to have five years of continuous residence in the country before becoming... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3322689/first-batch-600-hongkongers-granted-uk-settlement-under-bno-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3322689/first-batch-600-hongkongers-granted-uk-settlement-under-bno-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:31:01 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Britain has reassured Hongkongers settled in the country that they will not be handed over for “politically motivated purposes” under its plan to reinstate case-by-case extradition cooperation with the city, stressing the court can play its gatekeeping role. UK security minister Dan Jarvis made his remarks in a reply to David Alton, the chair of the joint committee on human rights in the House of Lords, who posted the letter on social media on Thursday, amid fears that the plan would send Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320434/uk-promises-no-extradition-resettled-hongkongers-political-grounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3320434/uk-promises-no-extradition-resettled-hongkongers-political-grounds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:48:39 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo ‘Nudging’ is the gentle way of pushing you towards making good choices; think of your nice parents. ‘Sludging’ is the opposite, designed to encourage you to make bad or at least suboptimal decisions; picture the car/insurance/mobile phone/real estate salesmen. They are terms in pop psychology borrowed from behavioural and cognitive sciences. Some governments such as that under former British prime minister David Cameron even set up a department of nudges, though it had a more respectable title.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3317560/how-sludge-hk-migrants-leaving-uk-and-canada?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3317560/how-sludge-hk-migrants-leaving-uk-and-canada?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:00:07 +0000 Joshua Kwok Joshua Kwok Gabriel*, a 20-year-old Hong Kong student hoping to settle in the UK after completing his studies at a British university, has found himself considering a change to his plans after London floated a proposal to tighten its immigration policies. More than a week after the British government published a white paper introducing measures, such as doubling the settlement qualifying period for migrants to 10 years, there was still a lack of clarity on whether the new rules would apply to Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3311674/hongkongers-bno-visas-rethink-options-over-uk-migration-policy-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3311674/hongkongers-bno-visas-rethink-options-over-uk-migration-policy-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 13:03:12 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The number of Hong Kong students attending independent schools in the United Kingdom has fallen by 6 per cent, the biggest decline witnessed in recent years, according to an annual census by the sector. This coincided with the Labour government’s introduction of a 20 per cent value-added tax (VAT) on school fees in January. An education consultant who specialises in assisting Hong Kong students with enrolment in British independent schools said the new tax had deterred some parents, despite most... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3311621/number-hong-kong-students-attending-british-independent-schools-drops-6?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3311621/number-hong-kong-students-attending-british-independent-schools-drops-6?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 02:30:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu More than 163,000 Hongkongers have arrived in the UK since the British government introduced a bespoke pathway for residents in 2021, authorities have said. The British government also said it would hold a consultation later this year to look at whether its recent proposals to tighten immigration rules would apply to Hongkongers. The Home Office, which deals with immigration, announced on Thursday that 163,400 people had arrived in the United Kingdom under the British National (Overseas) visa... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3311393/163400-hongkongers-arrive-uk-under-bno-visa-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3311393/163400-hongkongers-arrive-uk-under-bno-visa-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 10:21:28 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled proposals to cut net immigration to the country, sparking concerns among Hongkongers about how it will affect the bespoke pathway – British National (Overseas) visa – launched in 2021. While the British government did not reveal whether the proposed measures would cover the BN(O) pathway, it said back in 2020 that the scheme would be reviewed in October 2025. The Post reviews the possible changes and what they could mean for Hongkongers. 1. What is the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310756/how-will-uks-hardening-stance-migration-affect-hongkongers-bno-visas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310756/how-will-uks-hardening-stance-migration-affect-hongkongers-bno-visas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 09:49:34 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The UK was drawing up plans for a special visa for foreigners who invest significant sums in Britain, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government seeks to blunt the economic blow from recent tax hikes and wider curbs on work permits. Ministers were considering proposals for an investor visa open to people willing to fund sectors seen as strategically important by Starmer’s administration, such as artificial intelligence, clean energy and life sciences, according to people familiar with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310421/uk-aims-cut-immigration-yet-eyes-new-investor-visa-strategic-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310421/uk-aims-cut-immigration-yet-eyes-new-investor-visa-strategic-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 04:56:59 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Tightening the British National (Overseas) settlement pathway for Hongkongers is unlikely to hurt the country economically, but authorities should weigh foreign policy and ethical considerations, a UK government advisory committee report has said. The Net Migration Report was submitted to the government in January but published on Tuesday, a day after the UK announced plans to cut the number of immigrants to the country significantly. The report was compiled by the Migration Advisory Committee,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310369/weigh-ethical-factors-tightening-bno-visa-rules-hongkongers-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310369/weigh-ethical-factors-tightening-bno-visa-rules-hongkongers-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 00:30:14 +0000 Oscar Liu,Harvey Kong Oscar Liu,Harvey Kong Some Hongkongers who moved to the UK under a bespoke migration pathway have said the country’s push to tighten immigration controls could prompt them to find a second job, while others fear they will need to pay another upfront healthcare fee or wait an additional five years to access their pension money. They were voicing their worries over the impact of the British government’s newly released white paper, which outlined plans to tighten the controls. The measures included lengthening the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310222/get-second-job-how-hongkongers-bno-visas-are-bracing-uks-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310222/get-second-job-how-hongkongers-bno-visas-are-bracing-uks-rule-changes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 00:30:07 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The UK has said it is committed to the “humanitarian route” of the British National (Overseas) pathway to permanent residency for Hongkongers, but uncertainties over the country’s tougher stance on immigration have sparked a chorus of concern, with some warning that reneging on settlement promises would be “an unconscionable mistake”. Responding to inquiries from the Post, a spokeswoman for the British Home Office on Tuesday did not give a clear answer on whether Hong Kong’s BN(O) passport... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3310128/uk-committed-bno-visa-route-lack-details-keeps-hongkongers-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3310128/uk-committed-bno-visa-route-lack-details-keeps-hongkongers-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 06:48:25 +0000 Ambrose Li,Oscar Liu Ambrose Li,Oscar Liu Hongkongers who have emigrated to the UK or intend to do so with their British National (Overseas) passport have expressed concerns over the country’s plan to double the settlement qualifying period for migrants to 10 years, with some saying they were “freaking out”. The plan was part of the measures listed in a white paper that the British government published on Monday to set out how it would tighten its immigration policies, which included enhancing language requirements for different... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310059/freaking-out-hongkongers-fret-over-bno-visas-uk-hardens-migration-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3310059/freaking-out-hongkongers-fret-over-bno-visas-uk-hardens-migration-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 14:38:22 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong has reversed the trend of its declining school population by adding about 4,500 students, a net increase that an industry leader has attributed to fewer families moving abroad and more professionals arriving under talent schemes with their children. The increase came after more than 80,000 pupils left Hong Kong schools between 2019-20 and 2022-23 amid anti-government protests and the Covid-19 pandemic. The Education Bureau recently submitted enrolment figures to the Legislative Council... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3305372/hong-kong-schools-record-net-increase-4500-students-reversing-outflow-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3305372/hong-kong-schools-record-net-increase-4500-students-reversing-outflow-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Hongkongers holding British National (Overseas) passports no longer need to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) document before travelling to the United Kingdom. The UK government updated its website on Thursday to reflect the development, expanding the original exemption that applied to BN(O) visa holders. The change came after migration and citizenship minister Seema Malhotra confirmed the decision in a letter last week to David Alton, a member of the House of Lords. She said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3302397/hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-exempt-needing-eta-travel-uk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3302397/hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-exempt-needing-eta-travel-uk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:43:21 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hongkongers holding British National (Overseas) passports will no longer need to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) document before heading to the United Kingdom, with London expanding the original exemption that applied to BN(O) visa holders. The development came to light in a letter by the migration and citizenship minister, Seema Malhotra, who said BN(O) passport holders would no longer need an ETA to travel to the UK, after the government had “listened to evidence”. “This... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301375/uk-exempts-hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-needing-eta-ahead-travel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301375/uk-exempts-hong-kong-bno-passport-holders-needing-eta-ahead-travel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:24:10 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong public school teachers and principals took out HK$8.7 billion (US$1.1 billion) from two retirement fund schemes in the past academic year, a drop from the peak two years ago when a wave of emigration was cresting. In the 2023-24 academic year, 2,603 teachers from subsidised and grant-receiving primary and secondary schools left the profession as a result of retirement, resignation or other reasons, down from 3,551 in 2021-22 and 3,334 in 2022-23. The data was reported in the Subsidised... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3298426/hong-kong-educators-took-out-hk87-billion-pension-funds-past-academic-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3298426/hong-kong-educators-took-out-hk87-billion-pension-funds-past-academic-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 02:00:15 +0000 Like millions of other people around the world, we celebrated Lunar New Year with a family gathering. Three generations were present, all the main strands of the family sat around the dinner table and lucky money packets were exchanged. There were some distinctive Hong Kong-type aspects. Most of those attending the celebration now live overseas, and the dinner itself was at an excellent Chinese restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia. For language you had a choice of Cantonese, Mandarin or... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3297611/time-ask-if-non-residents-should-have-hong-kong-healthcare-access?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3297611/time-ask-if-non-residents-should-have-hong-kong-healthcare-access?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Feb 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Former Hong Kong residents who have moved to the UK face many challenges, from the cost-of-living crisis to finding well-paid jobs. The majority have settled in well, been made to feel welcome and are determined to forge a new life, ultimately applying for British citizenship. But an unexpected policy proposal, revealed by new Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, has, understandably, raised concerns. The opposition leader favours tighter controls on the ability of migrants generally to claim... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3297926/plan-toughen-uk-migrant-rules-more-hot-air-hot-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3297926/plan-toughen-uk-migrant-rules-more-hot-air-hot-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Feb 2025 15:30:07 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Jeffie Lam Ng Kang-chung,Jeffie Lam Hongkongers seeking British citizenship through the British National (Overseas) visa scheme do not need to worry about a proposal by the UK opposition Conservative Party to tighten immigration policy, analysts have said, despite brewing panic among those who have or planned to move to the country. A source close to the party leadership also offered reassurances there was no change to its “commitment to supporting the Hong Kong community”. Earlier this week, the Conservatives put forward a plan... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3297859/how-worried-should-hongkongers-be-over-tories-tighter-uk-immigration-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3297859/how-worried-should-hongkongers-be-over-tories-tighter-uk-immigration-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:36:00 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hongkongers moving to Britain via a bespoke immigration pathway have expressed concerns more fee hikes will be imposed by authorities in relation to the visa scheme following increases in associated charges. The country’s Home Office last week proposed to increase four immigration fees, including the newly implemented Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) application fee from £10 (US$12.42) to £16, a 60 per cent increase. The cost of applying for naturalisation as a British citizen would also... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3296289/hongkongers-seeking-uk-citizenship-decry-fee-hikes-fearing-more-set-come?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3296289/hongkongers-seeking-uk-citizenship-decry-fee-hikes-fearing-more-set-come?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jan 2025 13:55:31 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-based investors are the largest foreign buyers of homes in the UK, but additional education fees, a new tax scheme and slowing growth in rental rates could conspire to turn people away from the country. As of December 5, Hong Kong investors had registered 25,972 property titles in the UK, up 5.7 per cent from 2023, accounting for 13.7 per cent of all foreign homebuyers, according to data provided by London-based property agency Benham and Reeves. In 2024, about 190,000 properties in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295376/will-higher-school-fees-new-taxes-turn-hongkongers-away-uk-properties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295376/will-higher-school-fees-new-taxes-turn-hongkongers-away-uk-properties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong and Macau passport holders must list their nationality and their document’s place of issue as China to apply for a permit under the United Kingdom’s updated mandatory electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme, the Post has found. Attempts to list either Hong Kong or Macau as the travel document’s place of issue or the applicant’s nationality – an option the system provides – triggered information pages stating that passport holders from either city were “not eligible” for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293872/hong-kong-macau-passport-holders-set-headache-over-uk-travel-e-permit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3293872/hong-kong-macau-passport-holders-set-headache-over-uk-travel-e-permit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2025 06:32:33 +0000 I refer to the article, “Hong Kong watchdog receives 19 complaints over Real Madrid fan meet fiasco” (December 23). Football is a simple way to make players and spectators happy, and it pains me to see people paying unreasonable prices for football and becoming aggrieved. The “Legends Assemble” exhibition match in Hong Kong portended a perfect storm when ticket prices were announced, ranging from HK$680 to HK$2,480 per person; a similar exhibition match in January last year had been priced in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3293711/real-madrid-fan-meet-seemed-less-about-football-more-about-profit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3293711/real-madrid-fan-meet-seemed-less-about-football-more-about-profit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2025 03:30:07 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Decades ago, there was a gangster by the name of Cheung Tze-keung, alias Big Spender, who was notorious for his high-profile kidnappings of tycoons’ sons, Victor Li Tzar-kuoi and Walter Kwok... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3292772/luigi-mangione-folk-hero-really?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3292772/luigi-mangione-folk-hero-really?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Dec 2024 06:30:12 +0000 New year is a time for looking to the future. For many former Hong Kong residents living in the UK there will be a resolution to forge ahead with their careers as they adapt to a challenging economic environment. Most of the more than 158,000 who have arrived since 2021 under Britain’s visa scheme for those with British National (Overseas) passports have settled in well. But many have encountered difficulties with the cost of living or finding jobs that match their qualifications and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3292604/uk-should-do-more-tap-talent-hongkongers-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3292604/uk-should-do-more-tap-talent-hongkongers-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2024 13:29:42 +0000 Many Hongkongers settling in Britain under a bespoke immigration pathway are working in jobs that fail to fully utilise their previous professional skills and qualifications, according to a study that interviewed nearly 100 people. The report cited cases of Hongkongers struggling to leverage their past skills in the British economy, such as an accountant working in a kitchen and former information technology and insurance employees taking warehouse jobs. The UK-based think tank British Future... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3292523/hongkongers-uk-stuck-jobs-far-below-their-abilities-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3292523/hongkongers-uk-stuck-jobs-far-below-their-abilities-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:30:30 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hongkongers in England and Wales had more than 2,120 babies last year, extending their record high figures since the introduction of a bespoke immigration pathway, while the overall birth numbers in the two places hit a nearly 50-year low. But high childcare costs presented significant barriers to entering the workforce, particularly for women, according to a think tank’s report on Hongkongers settling in the United Kingdom. “In 2023, there were 2,129 babies born in England and Wales, where at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3290807/hongkongers-england-wales-extend-record-birth-numbers-under-bno-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3290807/hongkongers-england-wales-extend-record-birth-numbers-under-bno-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Dec 2024 01:00:25 +0000 The number of students withdrawing early from Hong Kong’s elite and popular secondary schools fell sharply in the last academic year, as most recorded levels that were even lower than before the city’s emigration wave. The Post reviewed the annual reports of 14 top schools and found the withdrawal rates had declined for the second year in a row. The figures emerged just weeks after the UK said the number of fresh applications for a bespoke immigration pathway for Hongkongers fell to 5,102 in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3289883/early-exit-rates-elite-hong-kong-secondary-schools-drop-sharply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3289883/early-exit-rates-elite-hong-kong-secondary-schools-drop-sharply?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:30:18 +0000 Nearly 1,900 teachers from Hong Kong have applied to work in England under an initiative to source overseas educators, with about 800 candidates from the city already approved. But one of those chosen said candidates from Hong Kong faced a pay cut of more than 50 per cent. The British government in December 2022 announced educators from nine new jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, would be eligible to apply for qualified teacher status from February 2023 to teach in England. The policy took... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3283109/1887-hong-kong-teachers-apply-work-england-under-education-talent-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3283109/1887-hong-kong-teachers-apply-work-england-under-education-talent-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:30:07 +0000 Hongkongers visiting the UK will be required to obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) document next year as part of Britain’s plan to tighten border controls. But a travel sector representative from Hong Kong said on Wednesday the move was unlikely to have much impact on visitors from the city. Travellers from 83 jurisdictions will need to obtain the permits before entering the country, with the fee for each application costing £10 (US$13.1). The British government said on Tuesday the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3278109/hongkongers-will-need-pay-enter-uk-next-year-electronic-travel-permit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3278109/hongkongers-will-need-pay-enter-uk-next-year-electronic-travel-permit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:19:27 +0000 Born and raised in colonial Hong Kong, I was used to our currency featuring the queen’s face, school holidays on the queen’s birthday and Commonwealth Day, and having white men with phonetically translated Chinese names as our governors. I would proudly don my Manchester United “home-team” jersey while my brother, in his Liverpool gear, played football in the living room, blissfully unaware that both cities are 10,000km away. Only when I came of age did I understand that Hong Kong had been ceded... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3276434/how-i-transcended-my-hong-kong-identity-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3276434/how-i-transcended-my-hong-kong-identity-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Aug 2024 01:30:10 +0000 About 150,400 Hongkongers moved to Britain using a bespoke immigration pathway between the launch of the scheme in 2021 and this past June, with 26,400 emigrating over the past year, official data shows. But British authorities on Thursday also said the number of applications and visas granted had been decreasing. The country received 5,700 applications and granted 7,664 British National (Overseas) visas in the second quarter, down from the number when the scheme was launched. “When this route... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3275525/more-150400-hongkongers-have-moved-uk-using-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3275525/more-150400-hongkongers-have-moved-uk-using-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:37:09 +0000 Muslim Hong Kong migrants to Britain fear for their safety after a string of anti-immigration riots swept England, although most Hongkongers in the country have been unaffected by the large-scale disturbances. Adeel Malik, the chairman of the Muslim Council of Hong Kong who now lives in Birmingham, told the Post the organisation was checking on family members and friends of the community over the past few days to make sure they were safe. “These kinds of things are of course 100 per cent very... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273627/muslim-hongkongers-safety-fears-uk-anti-immigration-riots-rock-england?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273627/muslim-hongkongers-safety-fears-uk-anti-immigration-riots-rock-england?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:09:33 +0000 Hong Kong authorities have advised residents to exercise caution if they are in the United Kingdom or plan to visit the country, following a mass stabbing last week that triggered ongoing anti-immigrant riots. An amber outbound travel alert (OTA) issued against the country remains in effect, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, urging Hongkongers in the UK or intending to visit to closely monitor the situation and prioritise personal safety. The alert for the country has been in place since... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273460/hongkongers-warned-exercise-caution-uk-amid-anti-immigrant-riots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273460/hongkongers-warned-exercise-caution-uk-amid-anti-immigrant-riots?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2024 13:46:34 +0000 The UK government has said about 40,000 students may quit private schools if a proposed value-added tax (VAT) of 20 per cent is levied on their school fees, but Hong Kong education consultants expect the extra cost will not affect demand from parents in the city who prefer British private institutions. The consultants added the VAT roll-out was likely to be charged in phases, while the schools might not pass on all the tax burden to parents. The independent school sector in the UK admitted more... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3272477/uk-private-school-exodus-expected-higher-vat-experts-say-hong-kong-families-unfazed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3272477/uk-private-school-exodus-expected-higher-vat-experts-say-hong-kong-families-unfazed?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:03:52 +0000