The search for a home outside home continues to play out from individuals in Hong Kong whose latest target for emigration is the historically rich Vienna, Austria.
Emigration inquiries from people in Hong Kong tripled, according to the Austrian consulate, despite the high barrier of entry into Vienna. Immigrants are required to be employed, make a $3.1 million donation or an $8.8 million investment, excluding residential property.
In addition to ongoing unrest in Hong Kong, Vienna’s attractiveness for living is oft-cited with the Economist Intelligence Unit and Mercer selecting it as the city with the best quality of life due to high quality of infrastructure, education, healthcare and stability. In addition, foreign home buyers do not face additional charges unlike other popular locations like London, Melbourne or Sydney.
According to Vienna government statistics, residents born in mainland China or Hong Kong grew 25 percent over a decade to 10,477 as of January this year.
Hong Konger Emigration Trending
As the ongoing political conflict rocks the city, the people of Hong Kong are increasingly looking for alternative homes for a safe haven. Most recently,
U.K.’s tier-1 investor scheme, which grants individuals and their dependents access to the country through a £2 million ($2.45 million) investment in British companies, was also gaining traction among the group. Applications for the visa from Hong Kong doubled in the second quarter of 2019, accounting for 10 percent of the total.
