UK offers clear route to British citizenship for 3mil+ Hong Kong citizens

[Cam77]

The UK government has effectively just offered virtual no strings right to remain/full British citizenship to 3 million HK citizens + spouses/dependent children (as far as I understand it).

Five years no strings leave to remain for those eligible for BNO passport+any dependents. I think the legislation hasn't been passed, but just a matter of time.

Given the historical closeness between HK and the UK and the current situation in HK, I would not be a bit surprised if, say, half a million Hong Kongers take up the offer of moving to the UK in the next year or two.

Have to admit I didn't expect that from the Tories. Just curious whether people support this move by the British government?

YABU = No
YANBU = Yes

I don't think the tories are anti immigration per se. If was just used by them as an excuse to push brexit through for other reasons. I suspect we will be seeing an uptick in immigration from many areas outside the EU in order to secure trade deals.

The UK literally does not have the capacity to house any more people, I know the government want everyone living in tiny 6x6 rooms and paying as much tax as possible but this is ridiculous, build more houses and infrastructure then accept more people, good time to be a homeowner and a landlord though, will be like winning the lottery when this goes through.

I'm wondering how many people will take them up on it. Many People from Hong Kong emigrate to places like Canada with large, established Cantonese speaking communities and a long history (some of which isn't great but still).

I wonder if the UK is looking like a good option right now.

I think we will still have immigrants post-Brexit but there will be fewer from the RU and more from Commonwealth countries. I hope that other countries also offer refuge. Terrible situation

I meant to say that with immigration you have to look at push factors and pull factors. Just because the push factors in HK right now are strong, that doesn't mean the UK has a lot of pull.

With Brexit, the UK needs workers. Both unskilled labour and highly educated and skilled labour. Hong Kong, an economically prosperous region of Chinese state can provide both. The infrastructure can not cope, but the economy needs it, especially the educated skilled workforce.

It seems like an odd thing for a Brexity government to do but on the other hand Boris isn't as anti-immigrant as May. I also think they know full well that few will take them up on the offer - maybe tens of thousands. Most will stay put and some will go to other countries, including, I imagine, other European countries.

Given the UK gave HK back in 1997, there is a large group of people living there now who've known nothing other than Chinese rule and will have no links to the UK.

@sst1234

agree with you

Given the UK gave HK back in 1997, there is a large group of people living there now who've known nothing other than Chinese rule and will have no links to the UK. I think I heard them say it was open only to those born before 2007.

I think it was needed. We don't have the military prowess to stand up to the Chinese, but we could help in this way.

Kind of blows a hole through the typical left-wing narratives about this government.

I don't think many will come, but if I'm wrong, on other threads I've advocated demolishing a significant proportion of Tower Hamlets and building high-quality tower blocks. Maybe in that case we should get building, boosting the economy and creating lots of jobs.

**With Brexit, the UK needs workers. Both unskilled labour and highly educated and skilled labour. Hong Kong, an economically prosperous region of Chinese state can provide both. The infrastructure can not cope, but the economy needs it, especially the educated skilled workforce.

Maybe before pre covid. But things have changed. Millions could be out of work and I think will do the jobs that ‘immigrants’ did if it means putting food on the table.
I think ‘British’ people will do anything now that covid has took away livelihoods.

I would be very surprised if China lets them go without a fight. There will be strings attached - property probably.

Totally support this, it's the only hope many of them have. Genuine asylum seekers, activists and their families will have an awful time under full Chinese rule.

I am a Tory and I completely support this. It is so exciting that the UK govt is able to do something so bold and so morally right.

This is the reality and the best part of Brexit. We can honour our duties to the ex-Commonwealth who we owe so much.

I wonder if the UK is looking like a good option right now

Looks certainly better than life in prison for freedom of speech

I think it's good the gov has offered.

@MrsTerryPratchett
I meant to say that with immigration you have to look at push factors and pull factors. Just because the push factors in HK right now are strong, that doesn't mean the UK has a lot of pull.

True, but the fact that there will, as far as I understand it, be virtually no “hoops” to jump through that are commonly associated with long term immigration, that likely would make it pretty attractive for a fairly large number of HKers.

@MereDintofPandiculation
I think I heard them say it was open only to those born before 2007.
I think it would be 1997, they year of the handover.
Those aged 18-23 would like be automatically disqualified, as they were not of age to have got a BNO passport, nor could they count as a child dependent. (Unless they could qualify as dependent spouse to an older BNO passport holder).

@GrumpyHoonMain
Aside from a bit of short term loss of face, I’m not sure the Chinese government would be overly effected. Hong Kong has huge emigration to places like Australia/Canada/US already. Hong Kong is not short of people, be they manual workers or well educated, and neither is mainland China. Losing even a couple of hundred thousand people to the UK each year is small fry for a city of 8 million (in fact it could really do with cutting down by a few million). Lack of property is a significant source of current dissatisfaction among the young of Hong Kong.

HK is a very important financial services centre for Asia. If the movers and shakers come to the UK that will be a huge boost for our economy. I am always seeing threads on MN about how terrible things are here and people preparing to leave so there will be plenty of space when they go.

It would be fantastic for us and it also offers a route away from an opressive regime for HK residents. HK was under British rule for many years and IMO it is our duty to offer them a new home. Unfortunately China will be very loathe to lose the revenue and it will do all it can to keep HK residents producing tax dollars. Maybe the British offer will exert enough pressure to get HK some concessions.

Of course it would only be 200,000 for a few years at most.
The worst damage from Beijing’s perspective will be loss of face, especially over the already tetchy historical issue of Hong Kong. Very unlikely China will take immediate revenge through the postBrexit trade deal or whatever (though China is a more significant export/import market for us then it is for them) , but China won’t forget this in the long term - this has just taken a significant bite out of China-UK relations. Could be costly in future.

@PersonaNonGarter

I am a Tory and I completely support this. It is so exciting that the UK govt is able to do something so bold and so morally right.

This is the reality and the best part of Brexit. We can honour our duties to the ex-Commonwealth who we owe so much.

I really agree. (Except the Tory part, sorry! )

@Cam77 China uses HK as a gateway to western investment. If the talented people go, the businesses would also go. They only want HK because it is a wealthy city with a global financial hub.

Like you said earlier, there are plenty of other places that HKers could go to which are far more attractive. The UK doing this is important as it would be a signal to the Chinese government that if they make it unlivable for the people of Hk, well they have a place to go. HK's main asset is its people so they would just be taking over an empty husk.