Who is leaving HK, Anecdotal Evidence - Part 2

Elegiaque · 17-09-2021, 08:38 PM

@TheBrit I've heard Japan isn't issuing work visas to foreigners. We can't find any precise info online though. Do you have any suggestions where to look?

(Before you tangent, I mentioned before, my other half does something highly specialized and for a well-known company -- ordinarily there is zero issue with him getting a visa to transfer to other office locations...)

TheBrit · 17-09-2021, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Elegiaque:

@TheBrit I've heard Japan isn't issuing work visas to foreigners. We can't find any precise info online though. Do you have any suggestions where to look?

(Before you tangent, I mentioned before, my other half does something highly specialized and for a well-known company -- ordinarily there is zero issue with him getting a visa to transfer to other office locations...)

Yes, Japan has been effectively shut for 18 months now. We had this dicussion a few months ago - you were sure you could get a work visa but I knew it was very unlikely. Very few CoE's have been issued after March-2020. Even genuine permanent residents with full right of residency in Japan were shut out of the country completely for six months - an indelible stain on Japan's Government.

fruitsalad · 17-09-2021, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Plutark:

I was talking to my landlord, he basically told me they don't really care about the rent. They bought the property for 2 million, it's now worth 7. Just on the value itself it's worth it. I can see maybe mail boxes filled up so it looks like a lot of landlords just hold onto it and do not bother renting it out.

I've always said Hong Kong has no real housing shortage...
It's easy to find rental properties... Affordability is another thing though.

ndt · 18-09-2021, 06:48 AM

My friend recently got Approval letter for work visa in Japan though i understand its not same as final visa or certificate of entry etc whatever mechanism is there in place i am not sure but larger point is work visas are at least being processed if someone wants to start process in advance.. Also i heard Japan Consulate/Embassy is not open in HK so he has to wait for it before approval letter gets converted into visa..

TheBrit · 18-09-2021, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Elegiaque:

Do you have any suggestions where to look?

If you want to monitor the progress, the Return to Japan group on Facebook is very active. But nobody knows when the restrictions will be lifted. With the political situation here, I am sure it won't be in 2020 which screws up any hopes of going home for Christmas for many of us. Even though Japan is 14 days home quarantine rather than 21 days in an expensive hotel like Hong Kong, it is still enough to heavily discourage travel.

Elegiaque · 18-09-2021, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by TheBrit:

If you want to monitor the progress, the Return to Japan group on Facebook is very active. But nobody knows when the restrictions will be lifted. With the political situation here, I am sure it won't be in 2020 which screws up any hopes of going home for Christmas for many of us. Even though Japan is 14 days home quarantine rather than 21 days in an expensive hotel like Hong Kong, it is still enough to heavily discourage travel.

You've lost track of time, buddy.

But yes... We're looking for next summer, so have some time and won't start planning concretely until the new year.

Thanks for the tip. Let me check out that group!

MatthieuTofu · 27-09-2021, 06:49 PM

The Chinese version of the Special Broadcasting Service of Australia (SBS) said on the 27th that in the latest annual report on immigration plans issued by the Australian Department of Home Affairs, Hong Kong people who have immigrated to Hong Kong since the implementation of the “Hong Kong National Security Act” on June 30, 2020 Australia data.

The report stated that Australia issued 4,312 permanent residence visas or temporary visas before permanent residence (hereinafter referred to as immigrant visas) to Hong Kong citizens from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Of the approximately 160,000 immigrant visas issued by Australia to people around the world, nearly 2.7% of the visas granted to Hong Kong residents. This refers to the general immigration plan and does not count the humanitarian visa.

The Chinese version of SBS's immigration history data in Australia found that the number of immigrant visas approved by Hong Kong residents in the past fiscal year increased by 210% from 1,391 in the previous year, and increased by 1,647 in the previous year (before the outbreak). About 162%, which is the highest in at least 25 years, and even exceeds the number in the years of Hong Kong's sovereignty return.

Immigration statistics show that in 1996/97 and 1997/98, the number of immigrant visas granted to Hong Kong citizens was 3,591 and 3,491 respectively, of which about 80% of them obtained permanent residency through skilled immigrant visas.

https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99...9C%80%E5%A4%9A