Hong Kong residents who have emigrated to the UK or plan to do so using their British National (Overseas) passport have raised concerns about the government’s proposal to extend the settlement qualifying period for migrants from five to 10 years.
Many have expressed that they are “freaking out” about this change. This plan is part of a white paper released by the British government on Monday, which outlines measures to tighten immigration policies, including stricter language requirements for various migration pathways.
While the paper also said the UK would “always provide protection for those who genuinely need it”, citing the routes provided for BN(O) passport holders, it did not clearly state whether Hongkongers seeking settlement would be exempted from the increased period or the language rules.
Under the plan, the standard qualifying period for settlement will be raised to a decade from five years, but the paper said the length could be reduced “based on [an applicant’s] contributions to the UK economy and society”.
Announcing the policy changes on Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to cut net migration to Britain significantly over the next four years, saying greater control was needed to maintain social cohesion and drive investment in the local workforce.
“We’ll finally take back control of our borders and close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy and our country. Take back control,” Starmer said at Downing Street.
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“I believe we need to reduce immigration significantly,” he said. “When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration, to learning our language, and our system should actively distinguish between those that do and those that don’t.”
Net migration to the UK hit a record high of more than 900,000 people in June 2023 and quadrupled from its level of 224,000 in June 2019, reaching about 700,000 for the year ending June 2024, according to the paper.
The document estimated that the measures could reduce immigration to the UK by 98,000 people per year.
The UK launched the BN(O) migration pathway for Hongkongers in January 2021 in response to the introduction of the Beijing-decreed national security law.
British authorities had approved 201,877 BN(O) visas for Hongkongers as of March this year. Successful applicants and their dependants are allowed to live, work and study in Britain, with the option to apply for permanent residency after living in the UK for five years, followed by citizenship a year after.
The South China Morning Post has reached out to the UK’s Foreign Office and consulate in Hong Kong for comment on whether the BN(O) scheme would be affected.
Clement Lai, 42, a stay-at-home father who was planning to relocate to Manchester with his wife and five-year-old daughter in July, expressed concerns over the uncertainties brought about by the “ambiguous” white paper.
“We’re really in a bind now. Our daughter needs to start primary school in the UK soon, and we’ve already sold our flat and assets here in Hong Kong,” Lai said.
“If the 10+1 rule actually comes into effect, we’ll need to budget an extra HK$200,000 to HK$300,000 for living expenses, as our current financial planning only covers five years.
“Residency for 10 years is a very long time compared with other countries. Many people in an emigration Facebook group are freaking out.”
Lai also said he was worried about the language requirement.
“I’m able to speak and understand some English. But I don’t know whether I’m at a level where I can take a formal test,” he said, adding he was the primary carer at home and his wife was the main breadwinner.
Kit Chong, a 34-year-old who relocated to Sheffield in March 2022, said the potential change regarding settled status had left him feeling helpless, although the language test was not a concern.
“The biggest concern is the future, because you never really know when you’ll finally obtain UK permanent residency,” said Chong, who works as a waiter and a graphic designer.
“I could have chosen Canada or Australia as they also offered similar citizenship pathways.”
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Willis Fu Yiu-wai, the immigration director at Hong Kong’s Goldmax Associates, said the proposal requiring migrants to spend 10 years in the UK was likely to undermine Hongkongers’ confidence in settling there.
“Back when the UK first launched the BN(O) visa scheme, we already anticipated that the British government might tighten the rules or raise the bar for citizenship before Hongkongers obtained the right of abode,” Fu said.
He noted before the introduction of the BN(O) visa scheme, the Tier 1 investor route, launched in 2014, was the preferred option for many Hongkongers seeking to relocate to the UK. The scheme initially required investors to invest a minimum of £1 million in the UK to qualify for a visa, a threshold that was later raised to £2 million.
“Whether the UK government will grant you citizenship without making investment is still a question,” Fu said.
But he said he considered the English test to be fair.
The white paper proposed to make the Life in the UK Test mandatory assessment for British citizenship or settlement. The test evaluates knowledge of British society and requires a 75 per cent score to pass, meaning answering at least 18 out of 24 questions correctly.
