Portugal: a new home for those who fear Hong Kong’s fate?
- Growing frustration over extradition bill and worries over erosion of city’s freedoms have seen a surge in number of Hongkongers considering migration
- For those who want access to Europe, Portugal is increasingly seen as a gateway – either through family ties in Macau or investment
Lam, a data expert working for a top Hong Kong-based company, was born and bred in Kowloon Bay. But the city she once knew has vanished among mainland Chinese tourists’ shopping bags, crowded pavements and – most worryingly, she says – diminishing freedoms.
“It made me revisit this idea. I don’t think I want to raise my [future] kids here,” says Lam, who asked to be addressed only by her surname. “The No 1 reason is the government and the tightening grip of Beijing over Hong Kong, regardless of how society here feels.”
As protests continue to unfold in several districts, frustrations and anxiety over the city’s fate have led to an increase in number of residents seeking options for a life elsewhere.
While Hongkongers have been known to move to places such as Taiwan and Canada, an increasing number of people have in recent weeks started considering less traditional locations – like Portugal.
Some are trying to obtain Portuguese nationality through their family ties in Macau, while others are considering getting citizenship by making investments, perceiving the country as a gateway to Europe.
Given that the environment in Hong Kong is not very promising … we want to have another choice if things go very bad here.
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