Demographics of Hong Kong - statistics & facts
As a global financial center and attractive travel destination, Hong Kong has adopted a liberal approach towards migration and has a long history of immigration. However, the city state’s permanent residents are aging rapidly, and this trend towards an older population will be increasingly felt in the upcoming decades.
Hong Kong’s immigration policy is aiming at attracting high profile talent and people that benefit the local economy. Several different immigration schemes have been implemented for this purpose. Personal requirements have been lowered in recent years to counteract a general labor shortage.
Aging populations is a general trend in East Asia, and Hong Kong is no exception. In the upcoming decades, this will be the most prominent demographic development in the region, requiring ongoing political action. However, as a comparatively wealthy city-state, Hong Kong has a relatively good basis for responding to these challenges.
Pro-migration for a stronger economy
Immigration in Hong Kong is traditionally dominated by people coming from mainland China. The inflow of One-way Permit holders from the mainland averaged 36,000 over the last decade. Immigration from outside of Greater China is considerably lower and includes countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.Hong Kong’s immigration policy is aiming at attracting high profile talent and people that benefit the local economy. Several different immigration schemes have been implemented for this purpose. Personal requirements have been lowered in recent years to counteract a general labor shortage.
Hong Kong’s population is aging rapidly
Despite the continuous inflow of comparatively young immigrants, Hong Kong’s population is aging rapidly. The share of residents aged 65 and over is expected to increase from 19 percent in 2020 to more than 50 percent in 2060. This is due to the fact that the city has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world and at the same time one of the highest life expectancies. As Hong Kong is also one of the most densely populated places in the world, this demographic challenge cannot solely be addressed by further relaxing immigration policies. A broad range of political adjustments will be necessary in the future to address this demographic change.Aging populations is a general trend in East Asia, and Hong Kong is no exception. In the upcoming decades, this will be the most prominent demographic development in the region, requiring ongoing political action. However, as a comparatively wealthy city-state, Hong Kong has a relatively good basis for responding to these challenges.
