Nepalis leaving Hong Kong for UK

Over the next five years, more than 300,000 Hong Kongers are expected to emigrate to the UK according to the British Home Office. But only a few of those leaving will be from the city’s 25,000 strong Nepali community.

Hong Kong is an appealing destination for Nepalis wanting to emigrate further abroad because the country’s association with the British Gurkha garrison here affords them better opportunities and privileges than other foreign workers in Hong Kong.

Thousands of British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders from Hong Kong have left for the UK fearing Chinese crackdowns, however most Nepalis are not leaving for that reason. Many families of ex-Gurkhas were already moving on to Britain even before the crackdowns, while others were already thinking of leaving to join family members.  

The majority of Nepalis who came to Hong Kong were Gurkhas stationed here when the territory was still a British colony. After the handover in 1997, a law made Gurkhas and their families eligible for permanent residency. The majority of Nepalis in the city are the children and grandchildren of these servicemen from Nepal.

“Today, Nepalis are an integral part of Hong Kong,” says Uttar Man Tigela Limbu, a solicitor in the UK and who previously lived in Hong Kong for 20 years. “The majority are permanent residents and they enjoy the same rights as any other Hong Kongers.”

A 2013 survey by the City University of Hong Kong (CUHK) showed that 17% of Nepalis worked in the construction industry, 13% in the food and beverage sector, 12% worked as security guards and 9% worked in community, social and educational sectors. 7% were cleaners and only 5% worked in professional and executive positions, while 6% were students and 7% were home-makers.  

Although Nepalis have been in Hong Kong for three generations they have not been treated equally, and the discrimination and lack of equal opportunities has been a bigger concern for many Nepalis than the recent crackdowns.

“For minorities, it is harder to learn and succeed in school,” says Indra Wanem, an immigration consultant in Hong Kong, citing the lack of support for minorities and the language barrier.

The CUHK survey showed that 63% of Nepalis had language difficulties, and 26% faced problems because of their limited choice of schools. Many felt that the Hong Kong government did not provide enough support and options for Nepali students in education.

Wanem believes only a few from the minority communities in Hong Kong end up going to university. Language difficulties also affect those who are looking for employment, as 20% of Nepalis surveyed  who had language issues said that they had difficulty at work.

This is one of the reasons why Nepalis are opting to move on to the UK, Australia or Canada. Solicitor Uttar Man Tigela Limbu says he struggled to advance his career in law in Hong Kong, which is why he moved to Britain. It also gave his children better education than the one they could have received in Hong Kong.

“Going to the UK has many benefits for Nepalis, there isn’t really a language barrier so it is easier to adapt. Nepali students have equal opportunities, access and chances for a higher education as well as higher paying jobs than if they were in Hong Kong,” says Limbu.

For most ex-Gurkhas, emigration is also a way to be together with other members of their families from Nepal or Hong Kong who have already got UK citizenship.

However, the National Security Law and the political situation in Hong Kong, which is driving many locals to leave is not the reason the Nepali community wants to move to the UK.  

“Most Nepalis here are aware of the political situation, but many don’t bother,” says Limbu. “They are here to work and compared to the other places, Hong Kong is still considered the best place for Nepalis to work abroad. They are treated better than in Qatar or Malaysia. And Hong Kong gives Nepalis permanent residency if they remain in the city for seven years unlike Japan and South Korea.”

Although there has been an increase in emigration from Hong Kong to the UK, the Nepali community in Hong Kong seems here to stay. “The future for Nepalis in Hong Kong is not bad,” says Limbu. “They will suffer a little because of the lack of freedom, and because of the Security Law people will now have to think twice before speaking out. But most Nepalis will remain in the city and reap economic benefits.”