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

@Noconceptofnormal

I thought the U.K. was prosperous enough to make a massive success of brexit 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

Of course offering citizenship is the right to do but Maybe we need to look at our prospects if we need the talent and businesses of Hong Kong!!

UK is not offering a citizenship to them though. They will still have to jump through many hoops to get citizenship

Now we no longer have to give priority to white Europeans more people from other countries can live and work in the UK.
I think many Brexit voters (not just those from Commonwealth countries) will welcome this
Agree totally.
And it's only right they should jump through the same hoops as everyone else to become British citizens - they're being offered the opportunity to come that's all.

Now we no longer have to give priority to white Europeans more people from other countries can live and work in the UK.
I think many Brexit voters (not just those from Commonwealth countries) will welcome this.

Good luck getting the required numbers in for quick seasonal jobs. That will need considerable visa system changes HO will most likely take decade to do (estimate based on how incredibly long everything takes).

@DilloDaf

There was quite a considerable number of people from Commonwealth countries who reportedly voted Brexit because it would limit EU immigration and in turn made immigration from non EU countries more available...

Now we no longer have to give priority to white Europeans more people from other countries can live and work in the UK.
I think many Brexit voters (not just those from Commonwealth countries) will welcome this.

Well the first point to make is that EU free movement law has never even mentioned skin colour. Anyone who thinks non-white EU nationals and their family members didn't utilise freedom of movement hasn't been paying attention.

As for the rest, there was never anything to prevent us from making non-EU immigration easier if we wanted to, and no requirement that people from the EU had to be prioritised. As I explained up upthread, the UK introduced significant legislation that made immigration more difficult before we joined the EEC, and this had a substantial impact on those from Commonwealth countries.

@ZombieLizzieBennet yup

True @theendoftheworldasweknowit. Britain is not a good place to be if you are of South East Asian appearance.

We should name the people we plan to make homeless to house them first. After all we were not planning to build that many new houses were we.

Why are you assuming they will need council housing? Many - if not most - of the people trying to leave will be highly paid professionals.

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

Nothing to stop the UK doing this regardless of Brexit. The EU has no control over non-EU immigration.

Nothing to stop the UK doing this regardless of Brexit. The EU has no control over non-EU immigration.

But UK was like literally fuuuuuuulllll with like the literally not controllable eu immigration...

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Nothing to stop the UK doing this regardless of Brexit. The EU has no control over non-EU immigration.

But UK was like literally fuuuuuuulllll with like the literally not controllable eu immigration...

This isn't the point of the thread, but the UK was able to control EU immigration. It choose not to.

the UK was able to control EU immigration. It choose not to.
I know.