Hong Kong and Singapore still attractive to expats despite exodus

Foreign professionals have been leaving the two cities due to factors such as Covid-19 restrictions and Hong Kong’s national security law

While insiders say the pain will be temporary, Hong Kong and Singapore face new challenges in luring talent amid a rise in remote working and growing nativism among locals

Reading Time:9 minutes

Singapore is transitioning to living with Covid-19. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 12:00pm, 23 Oct 2021

Even as an exodus of Hong Kong’s expat community continues, driven in part by the harsh Covid-19 quarantine rules and also political concerns, French national Marc says he is staying put.

The 21-day isolation period which he served in January after returning from France was a “burden”, he said, but Hong Kong remained attractive. He moved to the city three years ago as it was multicultural and hyper-connected with the world, he said, and that has not changed.

“I love Hong Kong. I can see myself staying here for a few more years,” said Marc, who wished to be known only by his first name due to the sensitive nature of the topic. “My view is that the pandemic is not here to last, so I can live with it.”

Marc, though, is taking the long-term view. In contrast, those involved in executive hiring say skilled workers have grown increasingly weary of continued, harsh Covid-19 restrictions in Hong Kong and Singapore, as compared to the West, where there are virtually no curbs. Paired with a perceived rise in xenophobia in the Asian hubs, these workers have left for what they see as greener pastures.

Hong Kong’s population has been shrinking at a record rate, according to government data, with the city losing 89,000 residents in the year ending June. Singapore, meanwhile, reported a 10.7 per cent dip in its non-resident population over the same period, or about 175,000 people.

As workers now consider new pandemic-related priorities when selecting their work base, Asia could lose its shine in the short term, some analysts say. This could mean a disruption in the region’s access to highly sought-after global talent, like those who work with data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software development.

The silver lining is that this pain is likely temporary. Bruno Lanvin, distinguished fellow at the Insead business school, described strict social distancing and border closures as “cyclical elements” that would not be permanent.

Ultimately, cities like Hong Kong and Singapore have strong pull factors, including world-class health care, quality education and infrastructure that supports digital connectivity. Those factors, alongside governments that are business-friendly, allow them to continually draw a steady stream of international workers, analysts say.

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