Hong Kong’s expatriates are leaving Hong Kong and its strict zero-Covid regime with a European Union office disclosing a rapidly accelerating exit from its citizens living in the city.
Within just the last year or so, more than 10 percent of EU citizens that were living in the city have left, according to the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao.
According to the office, the alarming exodus of European expatriates was triggered by «Covid-related measures» and the Hong Kong government’s «unpredictability».
«We have asked for a dialogue, transparency and an exit strategy as measures affect not only family life but also businesses,» it said in a statement.
EU Presence
At 1,600 companies, the EU is Hong Kong’s largest non-Chinese business community, according to the office, accounting for a sizeable portion of the city’s roughly 700,000 expats.
But policy decisions in recent years, including the the alignment with mainland China's zero-Covid approach, has created pressure for population outflows.
Last week alone, a net 21,698 people left the city, compared to a net inflow of 11,461 in the same of week of 2021, according to government data.
