London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

‘Never seen that before’: Some Hong Kong residents hit the panic button as security law revives rush for the emigration gates

‘Never seen that before’: Some Hong Kong residents hit the panic button as security law revives rush for the emigration gates

Immigration consultants have fielded hundreds of new calls since China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) unveiled the controversial plan on May 21, bypassing the local legislature. Some are accelerating their decision to buy property overseas, while others are cutting their asking price for local properties.

Hong Kong’s residents, who emigrated en masse before the city’s return to China’s sovereignty in 1997, are hitting the inquiry lines again, amid concerns that the Chinese government’s planned national security law would curtail what’s left of their political freedom.

Immigration consultants have fielded hundreds of new calls since China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) unveiled the controversial plan on May 21, bypassing the local legislature. Some are accelerating their decision to buy property overseas, while others are cutting their asking price for local properties.

“The day after that proposal, we received over a hundred calls,” said Andrew Lo, chief executive at Anlex, a Hong Kong-based immigration consultancy firm. “People are restless. They ask if they can leave the next day.”

From the biggest stock sell-off in almost five years to failed home sales, Hong Kong has turned into a pawn in the escalating rivalry between the US and China over trade, technology and capital markets. US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced he would revoke Hong Kong’s special customs status, following the declaration by his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the city could no longer be considered an “autonomous” region that deserved to be treated separately from mainland China.

The attempt by the Chinese legislature to throttle secession, subversion, terrorism, foreign interference or activities that threaten national security, has been greeted with violent street rallies, as anti-government protesters reignited their opposition to any move to tie Hong Kong closer to the mainland.

Requests for emigration advice have jumped as a result, breaking a lull caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Midland Immigration Consultancy. While the latest number in applications for good citizenship is not yet available, analysts expect them to rise with political temperature.

“The foreign property market is picking up,” said David Hui, managing director of Centaline Immigration Consultants, whose firm received up to 100 requests for investment ideas this week, compared with a dozen on average previously. “If the pandemic or external economy does not suddenly worsen, more purchasing power [from Hong Kong residents] will be released in June.”

Another push factor had been the announcement by US President Donald Trump to revoke Hong Kong’s special trade status, said Golden Visa Portugal ‘s co-founder Jason Gillott, who has signed up 50 clients since he started business in January.

“People who were just engaging us on basic information before are now firmly committing by putting down deposits,” Gillott said, citing one customer who asked to move his “millions and millions of dollars” to Portugal. “Never seen that before.”

The political factor has encouraged some high-net-worth individuals – defined as those having more than HK$10 million (US$1.29 million) of wealth – to diversify their assets into other cities like London, Singapore and Taiwan.

Taiwan is an attractive destination for many seeking to flee the turmoil in Hong Kong. The self-ruling island allows foreigners to gain citizenship with NT$6 million (US$199,680) in investments in a business that hires local staff.

Almost 2,400 Hongkongers filed residency applications for Taiwan from January to April this year, compared to 948 last year in the same period, said Midland’s director of strategy Tina Cheng, citing government data. In all, 5,585 people left Hong Kong for Taiwan in 2019, an increase of 41 per cent, the government said.

“Many of the enquirers have proceeded to later stages of immigration preparation,” Cheng said. Many have started gathering documents and budgeting overseas living expenses, she said.

Despite the interest in Taiwan, the top destinations remain English-speaking countries such as Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
A common language, quality educational systems, and professional opportunities are some reasons those countries are attractive, said John Hu, who has been involved in the migration consultancy business for two decades.

“We’re seeing a four to fivefold increase in cases,” said Hu, founder and principal consultant of John Hu Migration Consulting. “Now they see the urgency. They ask the question, which type of visa has the shortest processing time?”

Some homeowners are selling their properties to fund their emigration plans. One flat measuring 785 square feet at The Waterside in Ma On Shan this week changed hands at HK$9.99 million, about HK$150,000 below bank valuation, as the owner was in a rush to cash in and emigrate, said Christy Chan, chief senior sales manager at Midland Realty.

Historically, Canada has been a popular option for Hong Kong residents looking to move abroad. Hundreds of thousands immigrated to cities like Vancouver and Toronto since the late 1970s, when many feared the future of Hong Kong returning to Chinese sovereignty after 1997.

Now, Vancouver-based property agent Devons Owens has seen a big demand from Hong Kong buyers, some of whom are Canadian passport holders.

Owens said three of her most recent sales went to buyers from Hong Kong. Property developers in Vancouver are also seeing increasing interest, she said.

“There’s definitely increasing demand,” she said. “I would say it’s jumped compared to before.”

For those looking to the European Union, Golden Visa Portugal offers a pipeline for passports from property investments. Starting at 350,000 euros, investors can obtain residency and eventually Portuguese citizenship in five years.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×