[Poll] Stay or Leave Hong Kong

[Gatts]

Umm, leaving Monday...moving date up from 19 August...now it's rather sudden...business partner is afraid I will get stuck here so off to Taipei for an exciting two weeks of quarantine...good times coming...

Why would you be stuck?

[MABinPengChau]

On another thread, some concern on the Chinese-language social media that a Wuhan- style lockdown will happen when they decide they want to test the entire territory...so my business partner is freaked out- I was scheduled to leave for Taipei on the 19th, now moving it to the 3rd...sigh.

I am not that paranoid but, whatever, now, two weeks from now...leaving my flat with my cats who have to wait 180 days so throw some clothes in a suitcase and go...

[mucaari]

Anyone has a feeling for what is the demographics of people leaving?
In my social circle, a lot of people are very angry at the government, have zero trust and think about moving in the long term. Not many people packing their bags in a rush yet.
Except people with kids tho. Know some families who try to get out before the new school year starts somewhere else. Or others send their kids to boarding schools or half the family overseas, while one parent stays in HK making money.

[RMDNC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3J__QA6qVM

[TheBrit]

On another thread, some concern on the Chinese-language social media that a Wuhan- style lockdown will happen when they decide they want to test the entire territory...so my business partner is freaked out- I was scheduled to leave for Taipei on the 19th, now moving it to the 3rd...sigh.

I am not that paranoid but, whatever, now, two weeks from now...leaving my flat with my cats who have to wait 180 days so throw some clothes in a suitcase and go...

A Wuhan style lockdown is not feasible in HK currently. In five years, may be it could be.

[WMDS]

I left Hong Kong two years, I don't regret the relocation despite a lot of stress trying to get UK visa, buying a house with good schools. I still watch HK news and of course read this community and I feel despair at how much HK has deteriorated. Some locals will find it difficult to adapt here due to language/culture and some higher level skills are not directly transferable. I wish everybody good luck.

[TheBrit]

I left Hong Kong two years, I don't regret the relocation despite a lot of stress trying to get UK visa, buying a house with good schools. I still watch HK news and of course read this community and I feel despair at how much HK has deteriorated. Some locals will find it difficult to adapt here due to language/culture and some higher level skills are not directly transferable. I wish everybody good luck.

Can you share a bit about how you handled the schools situation? I am sure it would be informative to many considering a move to the UK with children.

[Pauljoecoe]

We left on 11th July. A planned departure anyway but it certainly looks like it was nicely timed. Politically we could have lived with it (although on a personal level I was increasing becoming annoyed with everything going on) but on the COVID situation I was already a bit stir crazy. The UK isn’t looking great either but at least when we get there we will have the freedom of a large house, garden etc.

Meanwhile enjoying a chilled, relaxed and free Greece.

[TheRoadAhead]

There aren’t really any reasons to leave if you are young and single and career focused. HK is one of the most convenient and rewarding place to live in the world right now. Recent events have not changed things and companies don’t plan to outsource anything in the medium term (if they do it will be Shanghai for most so there is no realistic pull out of China scenario no matter what you hear in the news). Well in 10 years it will probably be different with most companies operating out of Shanghai directly leaving HK as a tier 2 financial hub and the island becoming a mere resort for mainlanders.

For expats with families well it’s another story of course. If i was in this situation I would probably consider Australia, France, US etc but not because of the political and sanitary situation as I would have probably took the same decision 5 years ago. Depends on who you marry and the environment you want to be but for me it’s definitely a country with good weather and that allows the ownership of a decently sized house, backyard and cars

[bdw]

We left on 11th July. A planned departure anyway but it certainly looks like it was nicely timed. Politically we could have lived with it (although on a personal level I was increasing becoming annoyed with everything going on) but on the COVID situation I was already a bit stir crazy. The UK isn’t looking great either but at least when we get there we will have the freedom of a large house, garden etc.

Meanwhile enjoying a chilled, relaxed and free Greece.

I left 11th January, 6 months to the day before you . Started planning even before last years extradition protests. Yes I think we timed it nicely, but if its a competition then I think I win, at least with kids anyway since my kids have been able to physically attend school largely undisturbed this whole year here in Perth, vs an almost complete write off at their old international school in HK.

I do fear though that without a vaccine, we are only delaying the inevitable. COVID now attacking Melbourne severely, its starting to affect Sydney and Brisbane now. I have the benefit of being 3000km away with nothing but desert in between, closer to Singapore than the rest of Aus. Finally being the most isolated capital in the world has some benefits! But we can't hold it off forever.