Harith Wickramasingha
Australia has granted permanent residency visas to a total of 680 individuals from Hong Kong in the second year of a specialized immigration initiative. This program was initiated in response to Beijing’s enactment of a new law in 2020. The first year of the program which began in 2022 saw a significant increase from the 370 offers made in the program’s inaugural year.
Recent local reports reveal that the Australian government has made adjustments to visa regulations for Hong Kong citizens, particularly regarding temporary graduate work visas. Previously, applicants were required to achieve a minimum score of six out of nine on a language proficiency test. However, as of March 23, this requirement has been raised to 6.5 to combat the drastic increase in migration over the past couple of years.
Furthermore, the government has announced a reduction in the maximum age for temporary graduate visas from 50 to 35, citing the need to rectify issues within the migration system. Since March 5, 2022, Australia has received 1,184 applications for these visas, with a few still under review. Although fewer than five applications were declined in the second year, the specific reasons for rejection remain undisclosed. Under this scheme, individuals who have graduated from Australian universities are eligible for temporary graduate visas, enabling them to reside in Australia for three or four years before pursuing permanent residency.
Concerns have been raised by older students from Hong Kong, particularly regarding the impact of the new age limit on their settlement plans in Australia. Addressing these concerns, discussions had been held between activists from Hong Kong, and the Home Affairs Department. Assurances from the department that the Australian government is committed to ensuring that Hong Kong residents can continue to access this specialized immigration pathway without added difficulty.
Similar initiatives have been implemented by other countries such as Britain and Canada in response to the national security law passed by China. As of December 2023, the UK government has issued 191,158 British National (Overseas) Visas to individuals from Hong Kong, allowing them to live, work, and study in the UK, with an option to apply for citizenship after six years.
