https://www.scmp.com/rss/509796/feed Foreign residents make up almost 10 per cent of Hong Kong’s 7.5 million population, with expats working in a wide range of industries, including banking, finance, arts, hospitality, health and education. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Frank Chen Frank Chen China remains on the radar of foreign aviators keen to scout out opportunities in the world’s second-largest economy, with many unfazed by the sector’s prolonged recovery and the dwindling number of expat pilots. Those expats still flying in China hail high job satisfaction and long-term outlook, but they also warn newcomers of competition and that overseas credentials and experiences are losing their acclaimed status. Jang Kwang-chol, an instructor captain with Chengdu Airlines who hails from... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352586/expat-pilots-hoping-take-china-told-their-credentials-are-no-longer-hot-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352586/expat-pilots-hoping-take-china-told-their-credentials-are-no-longer-hot-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:06 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal For business owner Tracy Sung, flat-hunting in Hong Kong was complicated by two things – her pets and the intense competition in the rental market. Sung, who used to live in a 500 sq ft flat in Happy Valley, had to offer more than the landlord’s asking price to secure an 800 sq ft property in Tseung Kwan O. The 28-year-old is paying about HK$35,000 (US$4,480) a month for her new home, compared with HK$28,000 previously. The neighbourhood in Hang Hau offered what she considered the most... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341982/soaring-hong-kong-rents-tenants-pay-more-and-fight-shrinking-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341982/soaring-hong-kong-rents-tenants-pay-more-and-fight-shrinking-space?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s luxury residential rents are likely to climb another 3 to 5 per cent next year as growing numbers of returning Western expatriates and home-grown professionals drive demand for high-end accommodation, according to Savills. Deals were expected to exceed the 660 last year, said Jack Tong, the property consultancy’s director of research. “The outlook remains cautiously positive,” he added. For next year, Savills expected “stable to gently rising luxury rents as the supply of prime units... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3332283/returning-expats-fuel-hong-kongs-luxury-rental-rebound-savills-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3332283/returning-expats-fuel-hong-kongs-luxury-rental-rebound-savills-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The number of luxury flat rental deals in Hong Kong continued to rise this year, buoyed by demand from wealthy mainland Chinese and Western expatriates, amid the city’s stock market rally and the government’s efforts to attract more affluent investors, according to agents. In the first nine months of the year, there were 168 deals for rentals that cost HK$100,000 (US$12,870) a month – a 10 per cent increase over the same period in 2024 – at The Peak and the Southern district, two of the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3331154/wealthy-mainland-chinese-western-expats-drive-hong-kongs-luxury-flat-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3331154/wealthy-mainland-chinese-western-expats-drive-hong-kongs-luxury-flat-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong’s expatriate police association has been disbanded after 78 years, but its last chairman has said the contribution of overseas officers will remain part of the force’s legacy forever. Chief Inspector Anthony William Lothian, also known as Tobi, told the Post in an exclusive interview that the Overseas Inspectors’ Association had been disbanded on Friday as he, as its last chairman, would retire at the end of the month. “It’s quite an emotional affair. We were the first association to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3330341/hong-kong-expat-police-association-sails-sunset-after-78-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3330341/hong-kong-expat-police-association-sails-sunset-after-78-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok An expatriate mother may have drowned her seven-month-old daughter before hanging herself at their home in Hong Kong’s Southern district, police have said. The 34-year-old woman’s husband reported the case at around 4pm on Monday after arriving at their flat at the luxury Shouson Garden residential estate on Shouson Hill Road. Police said he returned home and found her hanging inside the master bedroom’s walk-in wardrobe. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. The unresponsive child, who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328820/hong-kong-police-investigate-after-mother-infant-daughter-found-dead-flat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3328820/hong-kong-police-investigate-after-mother-infant-daughter-found-dead-flat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:43:49 +0000 Sweeping lay-offs by the US Department of Government Efficiency have reportedly eliminated over 275,000 federal jobs and displaced skilled professionals in academia and the sciences, intensifying global talent competition. Faced with uncertainty, many are now seeking opportunities abroad. This has created a space for other countries and regions to step in, utilising flexible immigration policies, strong support systems and effective integration strategies to attract top-tier talent. Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3307034/keep-talent-hong-kong-seamless-integration-key?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3307034/keep-talent-hong-kong-seamless-integration-key?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Apr 2025 01:30:09 +0000 The past years of Sino-European relations have been dominated by turmoil and calls to de-risk and even decouple. But the times are a-changing. Since US President Donald Trump began instigating a global trade war, now in full effect after his “Liberation Day” sweeping tariffs, the level of engagement between Europe and China has only increased. Evidence of that lies in a softening tone towards China from notorious China hawks like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and a stream of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3305086/if-eu-adopts-us-plus-one-strategy-hong-kong-has-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3305086/if-eu-adopts-us-plus-one-strategy-hong-kong-has-role-play?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Apr 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Financial professionals with Islamic market experience and accountants can enjoy fast track immigration to Hong Kong from next month, as part of a wider government effort to address the local talent shortage. The Labour and Welfare Bureau on Tuesday added nine professions to the talent list, which now covers 60 types of jobs that the city needs most to foster a high-value-added and diversified economy. A spokesman for the Financial Services and Treasury Bureau said authorities hoped to further... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299207/hong-kong-puts-islamic-finance-experts-accountants-immigration-fast-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3299207/hong-kong-puts-islamic-finance-experts-accountants-immigration-fast-track?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 13:19:19 +0000 China is facing a new and gradually building demographic dynamic – a decline in the number, and a shift in the nationalities, of expatriates in the country. As the number of expats from the West dwindles, they have been replaced to some extent with a growing number of expats from countries in the Global South. This changing mix has wider implications, not least for businesses in China itself and the West. Empirical studies show that migration and the presence of foreigners increases... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3290097/chinas-dwindling-western-expat-workforce-should-be-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3290097/chinas-dwindling-western-expat-workforce-should-be-cause-concern?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Dec 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Cheryl Arcibal,Salina Li Three luxury Hong Kong homes changed hands this week for between HK$49.4 million (US$6.36 million) and HK$114 million, an indication that well-heeled buyers have returned to the market for exclusive addresses as interest rates come down. Sebastian Paredes, the CEO of DBS Bank (Hong Kong), paid HK$49.4 million for a 1,249 sq ft, three-bedroom flat at The Aster in Happy Valley, according to Land Registry records. The purchase price was more than twice what the previous owner paid for the property... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283870/hong-kong-sees-3-multimillion-dollar-home-sales-week-well-heeled-buyers-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3283870/hong-kong-sees-3-multimillion-dollar-home-sales-week-well-heeled-buyers-return?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Oct 2024 11:00:13 +0000 Hong Kong has ranked ahead of Singapore in terms of having a larger fresh talent pool across five industries, including the emerging life sciences sector, in a survey of more than 30 economies by an international recruitment agency. The report published on Monday by Hays consistently ranked Hong Kong ahead of Singapore in each sector’s “top emerging talent networks” category, which is based on the proportion of professionals with less than three years of experience. The survey compared more than... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3279650/hong-kong-boasts-more-fresh-talent-singapore-5-industries-global-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3279650/hong-kong-boasts-more-fresh-talent-singapore-5-industries-global-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:16:00 +0000 As a teenager in the 1990s, Daniel Bird worked as a paper boy in a small village in Dorset, a county in southwest England. For a few years, no matter rain or shine, he regularly delivered newspapers to dozens of houses. What made an impression on him then was how men were portrayed in the British print media. It was a “stoic and not very multifaceted view”, he says. Men were not supposed to be weak nor have deep emotions, resentments or regret. Bird, who would go on to study drama and theatre... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3277898/toxic-masculinity-satirised-sorry-men-short-story-collection-male-obliviousness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3277898/toxic-masculinity-satirised-sorry-men-short-story-collection-male-obliviousness?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 09:15:08 +0000 Three of Hong Kong’s highest-scoring students in the recent Diploma of Secondary Education examinations attended the RTHK studio last Monday to discuss their results and aspirations. The young men, all from Diocesan Boys’ School, impressed with their demeanour. They were articulate about their next steps for study and employment. Two were going into medicine, would attend university in Hong Kong then practise here after graduation. They were keen to pay back to the community that had nurtured... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3271870/key-hong-kongs-success-stay-chinas-international-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3271870/key-hong-kongs-success-stay-chinas-international-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jul 2024 07:30:12 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong’s exclusive American Club has backed down over a controversial policy change that would have required non-US members to pay as much as HK$1.5 million (US$190,100) to retain their membership or leave. Instead, the club has offered them the option of retaining their debenture or transferring to other types of membership, at no additional cost. The club announced the turnaround on Tuesday after holding a board meeting the night before to address members’ concerns about the policy change,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3267934/hong-kongs-american-club-drops-hk15-ultimatum-non-us-members-after-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3267934/hong-kongs-american-club-drops-hk15-ultimatum-non-us-members-after-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2024 05:31:16 +0000 The narrative predicting the imminent death of Hong Kong is alive and well, and it is probably as misplaced as it has ever been. Ever since 1984, when Britain acceded in the Sino-British Joint Declaration to Chinese pressure to return Hong Kong when London’s colonial leases finally ran out in 1997, there have been those across the world predicting the imminent collapse of Hong Kong. Most famous was the Fortune magazine cover story “The Death of Hong Kong” in June 1995, written by veteran... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3252948/hong-kong-changing-too-bad-outsiders-see-only-decline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3252948/hong-kong-changing-too-bad-outsiders-see-only-decline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Feb 2024 01:30:12 +0000 The Amazon Prime series Expats, based on the novel The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee about a group of privileged expatriates in Hong Kong, has caused quite the stir among both expats and locals. Its worldwide release didn’t even include Hong Kong. It was no secret that director and writer Lulu Wang recreated some scenes of the 2014 protests for the series, so it was bound to provoke a reaction from some quarters, especially among those patriots administering Hong Kong. Given that the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250766/perhaps-tv-show-expats-did-not-portray-hong-kong-it-likes-so-what?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250766/perhaps-tv-show-expats-did-not-portray-hong-kong-it-likes-so-what?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Feb 2024 07:00:15 +0000 It’s hard to resist the star power of someone like Nicole Kidman. So it was perhaps understandable that Hong Kong officials controversially granted her exemption, along with some of her crew, from tough quarantine rules in August 2021, during the filming of Expats. The Amazon series has just premiered its first two episodes, and it has already started a new row. No doubt local officials have been regretting her preferential treatment. The government claimed at the time that the show would carry... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250442/nicole-kidman-has-become-femme-fatale-hong-kong-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250442/nicole-kidman-has-become-femme-fatale-hong-kong-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:00:18 +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. I am writing in response to the letter, “Hong Kong is still attractive to expats – just walk around Happy Valley Racecourse” (January 22). I totally agree that Hong Kong remains attractive to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3250152/how-hong-kong-could-help-expats-feel-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3250152/how-hong-kong-could-help-expats-feel-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jan 2024 03:30:20 +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. Recently I have been spending a lot of my time in Happy Valley. My wife had been in Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital and whenever she took a nap, I would step out and take a stroll around the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3249103/hong-kong-still-attractive-expats-just-walk-around-happy-valley-racecourse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3249103/hong-kong-still-attractive-expats-just-walk-around-happy-valley-racecourse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jan 2024 03:30:10 +0000 We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Foreigners who stayed during China’s Covid lockdowns are now leaving. Why? Foreigners living in China who stuck it out through three years of strict Covid controls have spoken about why they finally decided to leave the country last... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3248996/why-foreigners-are-leaving-china-singapores-s-iswaran-resigns-cathay-pacifics-new-hires-scmps-7?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3248996/why-foreigners-are-leaving-china-singapores-s-iswaran-resigns-cathay-pacifics-new-hires-scmps-7?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jan 2024 04:00:25 +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. I refer to the letter, “Time to build up Hong Kong brand in Middle East” (December 10), and your correspondent’s call for Hong Kong officials to do more to attract tourists and investors from the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3246368/be-muslim-tourist-draw-hong-kong-could-be-more-halal-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3246368/be-muslim-tourist-draw-hong-kong-could-be-more-halal-friendly?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Dec 2023 03:30:11 +0000 Foreign business chambers in Hong Kong have welcomed a multi-entry visa for mainland China unveiled in the city leader’s policy address, but have said more can be done to simplify travel within the Greater Bay Area. The commerce groups were responding to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s plan to offer foreign staff at overseas companies registered in Hong Kong a multi-entry visa to cross the border, valid for a longer period, from Thursday. Lee outlined the move in his policy address on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3239341/hong-kong-policy-address-2023-foreign-business-chambers-welcome-multi-entry-visa-mainland-china-call?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3239341/hong-kong-policy-address-2023-foreign-business-chambers-welcome-multi-entry-visa-mainland-china-call?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2023 01:30:27 +0000 Foreign business chambers in Hong Kong recently expressed concern over the city’s slow progress in replenishing its expatriate population. They argue that overseas talent is crucial for maintaining the city’s international status. Despite the government’s efforts to attract back expatriates, many of whom left during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of returnees has been less than ideal. Official figures revealed that from January to July, the number of foreigners who arrived from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3238495/does-hong-kong-need-expats-back-absolutely-foreign-talent-enhances-our-competitiveness-and-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3238495/does-hong-kong-need-expats-back-absolutely-foreign-talent-enhances-our-competitiveness-and-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:45:16 +0000 We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. What’s wrong with radiation readings at the Fukushima power plant? The numbers were within safety limits, but they did not add up. As Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant pumped seawater in and released treated waste water,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3235406/fukushima-nuclear-readings-discrepancy-chinas-middle-class-shun-luxury-spending-hong-kongs-expat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3235406/fukushima-nuclear-readings-discrepancy-chinas-middle-class-shun-luxury-spending-hong-kongs-expat?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Sep 2023 04:00:13 +0000 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is to lay out the reasons why foreign wealth management firms should raise their profiles in Tokyo, emphasising the robustness of the Japanese economy and the capital city’s appeal over other regional rivals. Kishida, still in the United States after speaking at the United Nations General Assembly summit on Tuesday, is due to address the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, the Nikkei reported. He will share his government’s vision of a thriving asset... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3235336/will-japans-financial-sector-reforms-help-tokyo-rival-hong-kong-and-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3235336/will-japans-financial-sector-reforms-help-tokyo-rival-hong-kong-and-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2023 10:15:13 +0000 There has been an influx of mainland Chinese after Hong Kong pulled out the stops to woo talent, but foreigners have been slow to return. In the second of a two-part series, Laura Westbrook and Lars Hamer ask experts what the impact will be if expatriates stay away. Read part one here. Briton Clare Voke has not forgotten how her circle of close friends in Hong Kong shrank from about 40 to fewer than 10 during the Covid-19 pandemic. The city’s strict pandemic measures, including some of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3235132/where-are-expats-hong-kongs-talent-drive-fails-bring-back-foreigners-and-its-worrying-some-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3235132/where-are-expats-hong-kongs-talent-drive-fails-bring-back-foreigners-and-its-worrying-some-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2023 01:00:28 +0000 Hong Kong pulled out the stops to woo talent, but foreigners who left during the Covid-19 pandemic have been slow to return. In the first of a two-part series, Laura Westbrook and Lars Hamer describe the influx of mainland Chinese and what it might mean for the city. Read part two here. Sichuan-born business analyst Wang Yu, 30, counts the ways life has turned out better for her since she moved to Hong Kong in January. “I do not need VPN for YouTube, Twitter or Facebook, I get paid HK$15,000... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3235025/hong-kong-talent-drive-expats-trickle-wave-mainland-chinese-sparks-concern-about-citys-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3235025/hong-kong-talent-drive-expats-trickle-wave-mainland-chinese-sparks-concern-about-citys-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Sep 2023 01:00:13 +0000 Hong Kong rents are rising again as overseas workers return, a recovery that contrasts with the cooling market in rival financial hub Singapore. Hong Kong rents rebounded from their first-quarter decline to climb 2.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2023, Knight Frank data shows. While Singapore recorded the same pace of gains, growth in the latter city’s rents was the weakest since 2021 and down from a recent peak rate of 8.6 per cent. The push to reverse a brain drain of talent during the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235017/singapores-soaraway-rental-boom-cools-hong-kong-rents-start-heat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3235017/singapores-soaraway-rental-boom-cools-hong-kong-rents-start-heat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Sep 2023 05:04:17 +0000 Hong Kong’s luxury property market is still waiting for affluent mainland Chinese buyers to return, according to industry analysts, but the wait could take longer as high borrowing costs and economic uncertainty continue to weigh on investors’ appetite for the city’s high-end flats. “We’ve had many inquiries from mainland Chinese investors, but they are still taking a wait-and-see attitude during the second quarter,” said Lucia Leung, director of research and consultancy in Greater China at... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3234013/hong-kong-luxury-home-market-awaits-return-affluent-mainland-chinese-buyers-citys-talent-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3234013/hong-kong-luxury-home-market-awaits-return-affluent-mainland-chinese-buyers-citys-talent-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Sep 2023 04:00:16 +0000 Ace Ara came to Hong Kong to start a new life in his wife’s hometown in June 2022, but little did he know that the decision was the beginning of a year-long job hunt spanning about 500 applications. Despite being legally allowed to work in the city, Ara, 28, a British national, is one of many expats in Hong Kong on a dependent visa who has struggled to find work because of a growing requirement for Cantonese- and Mandarin-speaking skills. Experts have warned that employers are sceptical about... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3230129/hong-kong-jobseekers-dependent-visas-hampered-language-skills-employers-pivot-mainland-china-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3230129/hong-kong-jobseekers-dependent-visas-hampered-language-skills-employers-pivot-mainland-china-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Aug 2023 13:07:12 +0000 Hong Kong has rejoined the world’s top five locations with the highest expatriate pay and benefits packages, despite remuneration dropping 2 per cent from 2021’s figures, a survey by a human resources consultancy has found. The strength of the Hong Kong dollar countered the decrease in salary and benefits packages for expatriates, helping the city rise three places to rank fifth, according to the results released by ECA International on Wednesday. Average expatriate pay packages in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3228957/strong-hong-kong-dollar-helps-city-rejoin-worlds-top-5-places-highest-expatriate-pay-and-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3228957/strong-hong-kong-dollar-helps-city-rejoin-worlds-top-5-places-highest-expatriate-pay-and-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:54:15 +0000 Residential rents in Hong Kong and Singapore remain close to parity after the gap shrank dramatically over the past five years, signifying the diverging fortunes of the rival Asian financial hubs, official data compiled by property consultancy CBRE showed. In 2018, before Hong Kong was hit by an unprecedented wave of social unrest, the rental gulf between the two cities was as high as 82 per cent, with Hong Kong widely labelled as the world’s most unaffordable housing market. That chasm has... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3226892/singapore-home-rents-catch-hong-kongs-fortunes-rival-business-hubs-diverge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3226892/singapore-home-rents-catch-hong-kongs-fortunes-rival-business-hubs-diverge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jul 2023 04:30:14 +0000 English language tutor Alice Wong moved to Hong Kong last August and was stunned to find the biggest chunk of her pay going toward rent. Raised in Manchester by her British mother and Hongkonger father, she said a 245 sq ft flat in Mong Kok cost her and her flatmate HK$11,000 (US$1,400) a month. “One-third, if not more, of my wages was just going on rent, and then with living costs, the rest was gone. I was pretty much always living pay cheque to pay cheque,” she recalled. She recently switched... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3225313/price-pay-hong-kong-expats-weigh-expensive-costs-against-opportunities-jobs-chance-live-good-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3225313/price-pay-hong-kong-expats-weigh-expensive-costs-against-opportunities-jobs-chance-live-good-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jun 2023 13:00:08 +0000 Hong Kong is the most expensive city for expats, while Singapore comes in second place, a survey by a global consulting firm has found. Mercer released the results of its cost of living survey on Tuesday, which found Hong Kong had topped the list for a second year in a row, while Singapore climbed six places. Swiss cities Zurich, Geneva and Basel came third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Tracey Ma, the firm’s regional mobility leader for Asia-Pacific, attributed Singapore’s rise mainly to its... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3224725/hong-kong-retains-crown-worlds-most-expensive-city-expats-while-singapore-jumps-second-place-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3224725/hong-kong-retains-crown-worlds-most-expensive-city-expats-while-singapore-jumps-second-place-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:46:18 +0000 Hong Kong has lost its position as the world’s most expensive city for expatriates for the first time in four years due to lower accommodation costs, while Singapore has gained eight spots with its soaring property prices, according to a survey by a human capital firm. New York has dethroned Hong Kong, which came in at No 2 after reigning at the top between 2019 and 2022, followed by Geneva which was ranked third and London fourth, ECA International’s cost-of-living survey revealed on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3223185/hong-kong-ends-reign-worlds-most-expensive-city-expats-singapore-gains-8-spots-over-soaring-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3223185/hong-kong-ends-reign-worlds-most-expensive-city-expats-singapore-gains-8-spots-over-soaring-property?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jun 2023 01:00:23 +0000 Hong Kong has succeeded in recruiting dozens of internationally recognised academics to its universities in recent months, but some said limited laboratory space and lack of modern equipment, as well as high rents, could deter others from opting for the city. David Parker, 66, became chair professor of chemistry at Baptist University (HKBU) in September last year after a distinguished career at the prestigious Durham University in Britain. Parker, who earned his doctorate from the prestigious... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3220627/39-top-overseas-academics-recruited-under-hong-kong-talent-scheme-some-say-shortage-lab-resources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3220627/39-top-overseas-academics-recruited-under-hong-kong-talent-scheme-some-say-shortage-lab-resources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 May 2023 01:00:10 +0000 A study rating perennial rivals Hong Kong and Singapore as business hubs gives the overall edge to Hong Kong thanks to factors such as its financial prowess and talent pool, while pointing out Singapore’s advantage in technology and detailing shifts in the two cities’ office rental markets. The study, released by property consultancy CBRE on Tuesday, rated Hong Kong and Singapore across seven broad categories. Hong Kong came out on top in three: the scale of its financial industry, its... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3219209/hong-kong-holds-edge-over-singapore-business-hub-amid-talent-war-narrower-office-rent-gap-tightens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3219209/hong-kong-holds-edge-over-singapore-business-hub-amid-talent-war-narrower-office-rent-gap-tightens?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 May 2023 04:30:09 +0000 Half of expatriates in Singapore have been hit by rent increases of more than 40 per cent, while about seven in 10 businesses are ready to relocate their staff out of the city state if there is no relief from rising operating costs, a survey has found. Conducted by the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (EuroCham), the survey aimed to assess the extent and severity of the impact of rising costs on business operations in the country. The report on the survey, released on Monday, warned... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3215056/singapore-will-lose-its-attractiveness-foreign-firms-if-rising-costs-continue-european-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3215056/singapore-will-lose-its-attractiveness-foreign-firms-if-rising-costs-continue-european-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Mar 2023 02:01:54 +0000 Though he and his family “love living in Singapore” and have been doing so for the last seven years, French expat Paul will be moving his whole family back to France come June as his landlord intends to raise the rent by 70 per cent. “The rent increase is S$4,000 (US$3,000) per month. That’s money that we cannot save, use for holidays, or set aside for retirement preparation,” said Paul, who is in his late 40s and holds a director-level job in fintech, but declined to give his full name. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3214937/expats-singapore-make-plans-leave-amid-skyrocketing-rents-competition-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3214937/expats-singapore-make-plans-leave-amid-skyrocketing-rents-competition-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2023 02:18:21 +0000 Singapore’s average home rent has surpassed even Hong Kong’s notoriously costly charges, as owners took advantage of surging demand in a landlords’ market to jack up their asking prices. Singapore’s average monthly rent in the central region rose 29.7 per cent last year to S$5.77 (US$4.32) per square foot in December, according to the city’s Urban Renewal Authority (URA). Hong Kong’s average rent fell 4.1 per cent last year to HK$33.54 (US$4.27) per sq ft in December, Midland Realty said. All... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3210710/singapores-soaring-housing-rent-tops-hong-kong-reducing-lion-citys-advantage-luring-global-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3210710/singapores-soaring-housing-rent-tops-hong-kong-reducing-lion-citys-advantage-luring-global-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Feb 2023 03:00:34 +0000 Hong Kong companies are among the world’s fastest hiring firms, a new study by human resources platform Deel shows. This suggests that the city’s dearth of talent remains a problem following an exodus of professionals and expatriates last year at the height of Hong Kong’s worst wave of Covid-19 infections. Based on more than 260,000 worker contracts across 160 countries, as well as over 500,000 data points from third-party sources, Deel Lab, the research and policy unit of Deel, found that Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3210626/hong-kong-companies-among-worlds-most-aggressive-hiring-new-talent-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3210626/hong-kong-companies-among-worlds-most-aggressive-hiring-new-talent-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:00:19 +0000 Hong Kong has lost its status as the most attractive city in China for East Asian expats, according to a ranking by a global human resources consultancy, which placed the financial hub at 92, several spots behind Taipei, and Singapore at No 1. Hong Kong fell 15 places in the 2022 ranking of more than 500 locations, according to a study released by ECA International on Wednesday. The result marked the second year the city had dropped in the list. Other cities in the region also featured in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3209537/hong-kong-loses-status-most-attractive-city-greater-china-east-asian-expats-falls-several-spots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3209537/hong-kong-loses-status-most-attractive-city-greater-china-east-asian-expats-falls-several-spots?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Feb 2023 12:15:59 +0000 For Jamie*, a Singaporean expat who left Hong Kong last year, returning home was worth it – even if it cost her “a small fortune”. The 32-year-old business owner now lives closer to her family and can afford to rent a two-bedroom condominium apartment in the city state’s east. “Rent is high here but still not as high as Hong Kong, and apartments are bigger,” she said, adding that she was staying put in Singapore for now – at least partly because her current rental agreement was “locked... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3209048/hong-kongs-talent-exodus-singapore-can-it-be-reversed-and-new-wave-expats-inbound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3209048/hong-kongs-talent-exodus-singapore-can-it-be-reversed-and-new-wave-expats-inbound?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Feb 2023 23:50:08 +0000 With Hong Kong rolling out measures to attract top overseas talent, finding a suitable property in the city will be a key concern for those willing to relocate. Here, the Post explains the process of finding a home, from property search all the way through to signing a lease on the residence that meets your requirements. What steps do expats need to take to rent a home in Hong Kong? Expats do not face different rental requirements than locals, but there are nuances that they should be aware of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3207894/explainer-property-agents-share-tips-expats-how-get-best-rental-deals-hong-kongs-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3207894/explainer-property-agents-share-tips-expats-how-get-best-rental-deals-hong-kongs-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jan 2023 01:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s astronomical housing rents are likely to be a concern among a certain segment of foreign talent looking to relocate to the city after the government formally launched an aggressive bid to reclaim its spot as Asia’s premier financial hub, according to analysts. The city has offered a slew of incentives such as a refund of the extra stamp duty that non-locals pay when buying Hong Kong residential properties, as long as they remain in Hong Kong for seven years and obtain permanent... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3208072/high-rent-little-space-will-hong-kongs-housing-market-deter-top-talent-moving-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3208072/high-rent-little-space-will-hong-kongs-housing-market-deter-top-talent-moving-city?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:30:08 +0000 When it comes to figuring out where to live, affordability, quality of life, safety and accessibility are some of the top criteria for expats to consider. But what makes a city terrible to live in? Expensive housing, feeling unsafe, lack of job opportunities are some of the top deterrents for expats. Networking site InterNations surveyed almost 12,000 expats living in 181 countries from February 1 to February 28. Expats surveyed included foreign assignees, international hires and individuals who... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3201866/10-worst-cities-world-expats-and-yes-hong-kong-made-cut-paris-and-frankfurt-are-among-6-europe-while?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3201866/10-worst-cities-world-expats-and-yes-hong-kong-made-cut-paris-and-frankfurt-are-among-6-europe-while?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Dec 2022 21:00:10 +0000 Hong Kong’s reinvigorated efforts to lure global talent may entice more professionals from India, business community leaders suggest, as the city seeks to re-engage with the world following more than two years of stringent Covid-19 border restrictions and the social unrest of 2019. The recruitment drive, announced by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his maiden policy address on October 19, will include incentives for high earners and top university graduates. Lee acknowledged the new measures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3197589/hong-kong-talent-scheme-set-benefit-india-workers-singapore-and-dubai-offer-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3197589/hong-kong-talent-scheme-set-benefit-india-workers-singapore-and-dubai-offer-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 00:30:11 +0000 Hong Kong is not quick, broad or generous enough to woo global talent while suffering from a reputation damaged by social unrest and stringent travel restrictions under the Covid-19 pandemic, former Executive Council convenor Bernard Chan has warned. Chan, now the executive vice-chairman of think tank Our Hong Kong Foundation, urged authorities to remove more red tape in its talent hunt amid an exodus from the city, as business leaders shared struggles in recruiting from overseas. “We have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3197470/hong-kong-not-quick-broad-or-generous-enough-woo-global-talent-says-bernard-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3197470/hong-kong-not-quick-broad-or-generous-enough-woo-global-talent-says-bernard-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:47:54 +0000 Professional services companies are expanding their presence in Singapore as they seek to gain a bigger share of the growing Southeast Asian market, with some eyeing the medical tourism sector. Hong Kong-based architecture and design firm One Space is one of those that is expanding its footprint in Singapore to cover the region, and is moving one of its founders there to helm operations. The Southeast Asian region, including Singapore and Thailand, had a combined population of 662 million in... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3197235/hong-kong-based-professional-services-firms-ramp-singapore-they-eye-lucrative-southeast-asian-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3197235/hong-kong-based-professional-services-firms-ramp-singapore-they-eye-lucrative-southeast-asian-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Oct 2022 23:30:08 +0000