The upcoming UK general election scheduled for Thursday will encompass a pivotal moment for individuals of Hong Kong descent residing in the UK. Various surveys conducted by Hong Kong community groups in the UK have highlighted critical concerns of Hong Kong immigrants regarding labor rights, education, housing, healthcare, and other key issues. The hope is that these concerns will be taken into consideration by UK political parties and the future UK government when formulating policies. The UK Hong Kong community and organizations are urging Hong Kong immigrants in the UK to use their voting rights to make their voices heard and fulfill their civic duties.
From June 5 to June 27, a survey was conducted online by the groups “UK Welcomes Refugees”, “Ficus Ramiculosa Humanitarian Support Fund”, and “West Midlands Support HongKonger CIC”. Supervised by social policy and public administration scholars, as well as the former deputy chief executive of PORI, a Hong Kong public opinion research institute, the survey aimed to gather opinions from Hong Kong immigrants in the UK on topics such as employment, housing, education, healthcare, social welfare, diplomatic policies towards China, treatment of political refugees, and more. A total of 843 Hong Kong individuals in the UK participated in the survey.
The groups responsible for the survey indicated that the results would be conveyed to various UK political parties and the future UK government with the hope of providing data and policy analysis to support policies related to British National (Overseas) passport holders and Hong Kong immigrants.
Among the 843 respondents, a high percentage of individuals – 93% or 784 people – had registered as voters in the UK. Nearly nine out of ten respondents expressed their intention to vote in the general election, with 92.6% giving a likelihood score of 3 or higher on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 denotes the highest chance of voting. During an online presentation of the survey results, the supervising scholar mentioned that the survey findings revealed a significant number of Hong Kong immigrants had registered as UK voters and were actively engaging in the democratic process, demonstrating their commitment to contributing to UK society and fulfilling their civic duties.
Overall, more than half of the survey respondents (55.5%) had been living in the UK for over two years. The survey found that the most supported employment policies by Hong Kong individuals in the UK included strengthening employment assistance services for Hong Kong immigrants by local governments (90.3% expressing strong agreement or agreement); enhancing policies and resources to promote the integration and adaptation of Hong Kong immigrants in the workplace (87.2% expressing strong agreement or agreement); and improving common unfair labor practices in employment contracts, such as zero-hour contracts (86.3% expressing strong agreement or agreement).
The groups highlighted that many respondents faced difficulties in job hunting, with some expressing a lack of understanding regarding various policies due to discouragement from unsuccessful job searches. Some respondents expressed the desire for recognition of their qualifications and professional experience obtained in Hong Kong, while others hoped for free access to local employment and skills courses to enhance their job prospects.
Additionally, some respondents mentioned challenges in applying for the Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and facing difficulties in obtaining a certificate of no criminal record for the past five years.
Hong Kong Labour Rights Watch General Secretary Monty Mung acknowledged that the survey results indicated that Hong Kong immigrants in the UK faced similar labor rights issues as other minority ethnic groups. He acknowledged the lack of employment information for Hong Kong immigrants and recommended that local councils consolidate and promote information to better assist this demographic.
Moreover, he observed that many Hong Kong immigrants were engaged in jobs unrelated to their original profession or expertise. He believed that Hong Kong immigrants could be matched with positions requiring relevant skills lacking in the UK market. He suggested that the UK government collaborate with relevant institutions to address the issue of certifying qualifications for Hong Kong immigrants. Over 80% of survey respondents also agreed to the mutual recognition of education certificates between Hong Kong and the UK, advocating for simplified and clear dissemination of relevant information.
Furthermore, Monty Mung raised concerns about the UK policy stipulating a three-year residency requirement before being eligible for an apprenticeship, with over 60% of respondents agreeing to and strongly agreeing to lift such restrictions for Hong Kong immigrants. He emphasized that Hong Kong immigrants arriving in the UK under the BNO visa scheme intended to settle in the UK permanently and thus advocated for opening up apprenticeships and adult education to them.
Regarding the issue of government budget cuts affecting support programs for new immigrants and refugees, opinions among respondents varied, with over 30% expressing strong agreement or agreement with the cuts, over 20% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing, and 21.5% neutral. The analysis pointed out that many respondents might not feel comfortable demanding welfare benefits from the government but acknowledged the need for social security due to life pressures, eldercare responsibilities, and childcare needs.
Founder of West Midlands HongKonger Support CIC, Lee Tai-shing, shared that survey data revealed that while some Hong Kong immigrants preferred not to access welfare benefits in the UK, many respondents expressed a need for childcare services and were concerned about eldercare services. He noted that some individuals, despite facing hardship, were resolute in avoiding seeking government assistance, likening their reluctance to that of new immigrants from China to Hong Kong, which could create negative impressions. He encouraged those in need to seek assistance to prevent escalating issues.
Lee Tai-shing highlighted that certain labor rights issues, such as the prevalence of zero-hour contracts, which were not adequately protected under past governments, posed challenges for Hong Kong immigrants in the UK. He pointed out that some respondents mentioned a lack of support plans from certain regional local governments for Hong Kong immigrants, although the UK government, in general, provided support. He hesitated to assess whether there was a proactive approach to addressing issues specific to Hong Kong immigrants, suggesting that it might vary depending on individual concerns.
The manager of the “UK Welcomes Refugees” program, Chau Wing-hei, added that the Hong Kong community in the UK, being relatively new, had yet to establish sufficient resources, dependent on the efforts of advocates to secure resources and build services. He expressed confidence in the UK government’s support for Hong Kong immigrants, noting their practical approach, such as introducing local organizations during fund allocations to share experiences, seek additional resources, and connect with potential donors. He believed the UK government was genuinely committed to assisting Hong Kong immigrants. Additionally, local governments in areas with a significant Hong Kong population actively sought to engage with representatives from the Hong Kong community.
Monty Mung emphasized that following the UK government’s introduction of the BNO visa framework, there seemed to be a lack of attention to issues encountered by Hong Kong immigrants and the inadequacy of corresponding measures, particularly in policies. He stressed the importance of raising demands and exerting pressure on the government in cases of unfair policies or inadequate workplace and community support, advocating for active engagement in advocacy efforts to bring about policy changes. He underscored that policies do not change abruptly but require advocacy, lobbying, and improvement processes.
Chau Wing-hei noted that the survey revealed that Hong Kong immigrants arriving in the UK sought more than just asylum but demonstrated considerable civic awareness and a keen interest in UK policies. He believed that most Hong Kong immigrants did not migrate to the UK solely for social welfare benefits but acknowledged the government’s responsibility to offer assistance in education and healthcare.
While the survey was not conducted through random sampling, Chau pointed out that besides the UK government, no entity possessed comprehensive data on all Hong Kong immigrants in the UK. He mentioned a survey conducted by the UK Home Office at the end of 2021, which indicated over 90,000 Hong Kong individuals had migrated to the UK. He believed the UK government had the means to conduct surveys to understand the voice of Hong Kong immigrants.
However, he stressed that even exploratory surveys were crucial in understanding the characteristics and perspectives of the Hong Kong community.
The survey recommended that local councils in the UK take proactive steps to connect new Hong Kong immigrants with public resources by providing information in Chinese and Cantonese, facilitating interaction among Hong Kong immigrants, long-term residents from Hong Kong, and other ethnic groups, and establishing support systems.
The survey also called for Members of Parliament to actively engage with the Hong Kong community through regular consultations or meetings, enabling individuals to voice their concerns to local governments. It also urged central government cabinet officials to engage in consultations with representatives from Hong Kong’s civil society organizations when formulating BNO holder-related policies, allowing the Hong Kong community an opportunity to amend policies.
Furthermore, the Labour Party proposed a 20% value-added tax (VAT) on private schools if elected, a policy that stirred controversy. Respondents highlighted concerns that the fee increase could affect Hong Kong individuals sending their children to private schools, stressing the importance of clear communication and articulation of the policy’s rationale. They also expressed worries that the additional fees could become burdensome, potentially leading to an exodus of Hong Kong students from private schools to public schools, exacerbating the shortage of public school places.
The survey revealed that some respondents displayed negative sentiments during the survey, feeling that the government would not listen to their opinions or that their voices were insignificant. Nevertheless, the groups encouraged Hong Kong immigrants in the UK to recognize the democratic, inclusive, and multicultural nature of UK society and to persist in advocating for their rights, improving access to resources and rights within the community.