Nearly 90,000 Left HK in One Year

Almost 90,000 people left Hong Kong in the past 12 months

It was revealed nearly 90,000 people left Hong Kong in the past 12 months after the national security law was implemented, a 1.2 percent drop in the population to 7.39 million.

The govt says more people left than entered HK

A government spokesman attributed the drop to various factors, including the number of deaths (50,400) higher than births (38,500), and more people leaving for work and school than coming in because of the Hong Kong government's Covid-19 restrictions preventing domestic helpers, students and workers from entering.

"Net movement, which includes the movement of Hong Kong residents into and out of Hong Kong for various purposes including work and study, is conceptually different from immigration and emigration," the spokesman said.

Trying hard to spin the fact that people are leaving in droves as being "conceptually different".

"Being an international city, Hong Kong's population has always been mobile," the spokesman continued. "During the past 10 years, net outflows of Hong Kong residents other than One-way Permit holders were recorded for most of the years."

HK$6.6 billion was taken out of MPF accounts

Meanwhile another sure sign of mass migration is the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority's latest annual report. Almost HK$6.6 billion worth of funds [for retirement] have been withdrawn from April 2020 to March this year by people who claimed they were leaving Hong Kong permanently.

The figure is 27 percent higher than the previous financial year, and the highest on record.

How do you spin a fact like that?

Paul Yip Siu-fai, chair professor in social work and social administration at the University of Hong Kong calls the trend "alarming".

"Of course many people could be leaving Hong Kong to work and study, every year there are people doing so. But what is the reason that this year saw such an increase [from 20,900 to 89,200], the government needs to find out," Yip said. 

Yip says govt needs to know why ppl are leaving

"Some people are worried about changes in freedom of speech, as well as the city's education system, while the [red lines] are unclear. Amid fears, if they had a choice, they might choose to emigrate. The government should try to address their concerns."

He believes there will be a steady stream of emigration beyond the next one or two years and says the government should consider offering incentives to young couples with newborns like prioritized housing.

But it seems Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor isn't too fussed about people leaving, perhaps it's a minor detail in how to keep the city functioning...