Over 113,000 residents left city in 12 months, as Hong Kong sees largest mid-year population drop on record

Hong Kong’s population has dipped by 1.6 per cent to around 7.29 million, with more than 113,000 residents leaving the city in the past year, according to government figures. The year-on-year drop was the largest percentage decline over a 12-month period since records began in 1961.

The Census and Statistics Department released the latest mid-year population figures on Thursday. The data showed that 113,200 Hong Kong residents left between mid-2021 and mid-2022, while there was an inflow of 18,300 One-way Permit holders, leaving a net outflow of 95,000 people.

Hong Kong International Airport Departure queue — File photo: Kelly Ho/HKFP.

“Amidst the continued impact of Covid-19, stringent border control and quarantine measures have been in place in Hong Kong, the mainland and other places around the world, resulting in severe interruption of cross-boundary travel,” a government spokesperson said, according to a statement issued on Thursday.

“Hong Kong residents who had left Hong Kong before the pandemic may have chosen to reside in other places temporarily or were unable to return to Hong Kong. All these might have contributed to the net outflow of Hong Kong residents during the period,” the statement added.

Natural decrease

A natural decrease was also a factor contributing to the drop in population, authorities said. A natural decrease occurs when the number of deaths surpasses the number of births. Hong Kong recorded 61,600 deaths and 35,100 births.

“The plunge in births in the recent two years might also be attributable to the outbreak of Covid-19 since early 2020. On the other hand, the number of deaths edged up gradually from 45,400 to 61,600 over the past five years in tandem with the ageing trend of the population,” the spokesperson said.

Continuous exodus

While statistics, such as an increasing number of people applying for the British Nationals (Overseas) visa to resettle in Britain, have pointed to a mass exodus of Hongkongers, the government has disputed the scale of the phenomenon. The emigration trend became evident in particular after the anti-extradition protests and unrest in 2019.