However 99 per cent of respondents stated that they had no plans to stay in Hong Kong once more.
The UK launched the pathway to citizenship in 2020 in response to Beijing’s promulgation of the nationwide safety regulation in Hong Kong. The British authorities has granted greater than 166,000 visas by the scheme as of March this yr.
Beneath the BN(O) scheme, Lau and his household moved to the UK in February final yr over issues concerning the political state of affairs in Hong Kong. Earlier than they left, Lau and his spouse lived in Tai Po and collectively earned about HK$70,000 (US$8,900) a month. The pair had additionally employed a home helper to care for his or her three-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter.
Lau, who has a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration, used to make about HK$35,000 taking pictures and enhancing marriage ceremony movies. However the couple halved their family earnings after they moved to Dewsbury when Lau took over caring for his or her kids.
He was unemployed for his or her first yr within the UK and presently works someday per week as a courier, whereas additionally searching for part-time jobs. However Lau stated that working full time would imply utilizing up most of his wage to rent somebody to take care of their kids.
His spouse was capable of switch her advertising job at a clothes firm from Hong Kong to the UK, along with her wage protecting the month-to-month lease of £1,100 (US$1,380) for his or her three-bedroom, semi-detached home and the remainder of their residing prices.
The survey discovered that 4 out of 10 BN(O) visa holders interviewed felt their monetary state of affairs was worse due to higher-than-anticipated residing prices within the UK.
Lau stated that whereas the larger bills had not drained the household’s financial savings, they may not afford the identical way of life they loved in Hong Kong, the place they ate out a number of occasions per week and made frequent journeys to the cinema or karaoke bars.
The toughest half about beginning over was that his small circle of mates, all Hongkongers, lived about an hour’s drive away, he added.
“I speak with some British dad and mom at college, however I wouldn’t name them mates but,” he stated.
Lau deliberate to return to work as soon as his son was sufficiently old to enrol in main college, however he admitted he was unlikely to seek out the identical job he held in Hong Kong.
“Many of the Hongkongers I do know work [minimum wage jobs] as couriers, in factories, driving buses or Uber, or in eating places,” he stated.
He added many Hongkongers within the UK had accepted that beginning over in a brand new nation required sacrifices and had taken work that was a step down from their higher-earning jobs again house.
However Lau felt his life had improved in some ways, saying he spent extra time together with his household and that his kids would now obtain a greater training.
His daughter had realized extra in a yr within the UK than she had in Hong Kong, he stated. She was beneath much less tutorial stress, didn’t have homework assigned and was spared her earlier three-hour every day college commute, he added.
‘Potential waste’: simply 30% of Hong Kong BN(O) migrants in UK working full-time
‘Potential waste’: simply 30% of Hong Kong BN(O) migrants in UK working full-time
Walter Cheung, 59, was one other Hongkonger who left for the UK over issues concerning the political state of affairs within the metropolis within the aftermath of the 2019 anti-government protests.
Transferring to London in 2021, Cheung went from being a server on the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong to working as a meals packer and later a waiter at a restaurant.
“I don’t care [that it is a step backwards]. In Hong Kong, I might often work time beyond regulation, with no additional pay,” he stated. “Right here, I’m requested if I need time beyond regulation and I’m paid for it.”
Cheung added that the work-life steadiness supplied by his present job had allowed for his well being to enhance. “I’m consuming higher and have misplaced 7kg [15.4lbs],” he stated.
13:02
A Hong Kong journalist’s troublesome resolution to go away the town
A Hong Kong journalist’s troublesome resolution to go away the town
He additionally expressed shock that Wednesday’s survey had discovered that half of respondents had been unemployed, arguing that discovering work was straightforward within the nation and public providers helped residents to seek out jobs.
UK authorities information confirmed that the employment charge in London stood at 95 per cent, in contrast with a nationwide common of 75 per cent.
Paul Leung, a contract parcel supply driver in Manchester, additionally stated his high quality of life had improved regardless of leaving his job as a warehouse supervisor in Hong Kong to maneuver to the UK in 2020.
The 30-year-old stated he beforehand labored from 8.30am to five.30pm and spent most of his time on the workplace. He now made about 120 deliveries a day whereas on the clock from 8am to 6pm.
“In case you had been to check this to my job in Hong Kong, I believe the troublesome half is that it will get darkish early in the UK now and the temperature exterior is sort of chilly,” he stated. “You actually should get used to that. My job in Hong Kong had a special sort of issue, the place I all the time used my mind.”
Hongkongers voice issues over UK plan to lift BN(O) charges, well being surcharge
Hongkongers voice issues over UK plan to lift BN(O) charges, well being surcharge
Leung stated he deliberate to stay within the nation, pointing to Hong Kong’s altering political local weather, its quick tempo of residing and the disturbing training system his baby would face.
He was now incomes about HK$30,000 (US$37,570) a month, up from the roughly HK$20,000 he made in Hong Kong, and will spend extra time together with his spouse and their 10-month-old son as he now not needed to fear about working time beyond regulation, he added.
Whereas Leung stated Manchester had fewer leisure choices for him than Hong Kong, the setting was higher and he felt happier simply trying on the surroundings.
The daddy stated that after reducing his expectations about his job prospects and adapting to his new profession, he would deal with making sufficient cash for his household.
“I have to take care of my household, I want to simply accept this. It isn’t like I can starve to dying,” he stated. “It’s a must to adapt to folks’s tradition once you go to a different nation. You additionally want to simply accept new issues once you go away your individual consolation zone.”