Hong Kong Exiles: The Mass Diaspora of Political Refugees Seeking Safety
The Great Exodus and Forced Displacement
Since 2019, Hong Kong has experienced the largest voluntary mass emigration in its modern history. Hundreds of thousands fleeing political persecution have dispersed across democratic nations worldwide. The UK provided more than 150,000 Hong Kong citizens British National Overseas visas between January 2021 and September 2023. Tens of thousands more sought refuge in Canada, Australia, Taiwan, and the United States. This diaspora fundamentally transformed pro-democracy activism, moving organising from Hong Kong’s streets to exile communities in democratic capitals.
For most exiles, displacement came through individual, often desperate decisions. Political arrest, police interrogation, or recognising that detention was imminent forced extraordinarily difficult choices: abandon homeland, family, and professional identity to escape prosecution. These were not economic migrants seeking better income. These were political refugees fleeing state persecution. The profound loss of exile distinguishes political displacement from immigration entirely.
The Decision to Leave: Flight from Persecution
Personal Catalysts and Recognition of Existential Danger
Sunny Cheung, a young activist, recognised suspicious individuals stalking him and realised authorities were targeting pro-democracy dissidents. When Cheung recognised surveillance patterns and realised that arrest was imminent, he faced an agonising choice: surrender to authorities and face imprisonment, or flee his homeland. Tony Chung, a student activist, completed a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence and then discovered himself under intense surveillance with police demanding he serve as informant against fellow activists.
Cheung wrote: “If it weren’t for political persecution, I would never have thought of living in a foreign land. Exiles have no home”—articulating the profound loss distinguishing political displacement from immigration. The decision to leave was not made for advancement but for mere survival necessity.
Destination Countries: Networks of Diaspora Communities
Britain as Primary Destination: The BNO Visa Route
The British National Overseas visa scheme provided more than 150,000 Hong Kong citizens pathways between January 2021 and September 2023. By 2024, approximately 200,000 Hong Kong exiles constituted significant diaspora communities in the United Kingdom. Yet integration proved remarkably challenging. More than 46% of Hong Kong immigrants to the UK were forced to switch careers entirely, and 50% reported substantial salary cuts following relocation. Career disruption represents profound loss of professional identity and downward social mobility.
Canada, Australia, and Alternative Destinations
Canada and Australia emerged as secondary destinations with established Hong Kong communities and accessible immigration pathways. In August 2025, prominent activists including former lawmaker Frances Hui were granted protection visas in Australia. Taiwan initially welcomed Hong Kong emigrants warmly, though faces increasing pressure from Beijing regarding asylum policies and refugee acceptance rates.
Psychological and Mental Health Impact of Exile
Systematic Psychological Distress and Trauma
A 2024 survey documented that “Hong Kong immigrants are experiencing higher than average levels of psychological distress,” with unemployed Hong Kongers recording mental health scores indicating serious clinical concern. The transition from living in one’s homeland to life as a refugee carries profound mental health consequences extending far beyond initial displacement shock. Exiles experience disrupted sleep patterns, anxiety disorders, depression, and complex post-traumatic stress responses.
Ambiguous Loss and Identity Fragmentation
For people forced into exile, this decision “complicates the relationship to oneself and to one’s community,” as they attempt to forge new lives fusing past values with present realities. Many exiles experience “ambiguous loss”—grieving for a place that still exists but to which one cannot safely return. This differs from conventional grief where the lost object has disappeared. Hong Kong still exists, family members still live there, but return means imprisonment.
Diaspora Activism: Continuing the Struggle from Abroad
International Advocacy Networks and Documentation
Sunny Cheung serves as adviser to the Hong Kong Democracy Council and co-founded diasporic magazine Flow HK, maintaining international advocacy despite physical separation from homeland. These organisations coordinate international campaigns documenting Hong Kong’s human rights violations and maintaining international pressure on governments and businesses regarding Hong Kong’s deteriorating conditions.
Transnational Solidarity Networks
The “Milk Tea Alliance” connecting pro-democracy activists from Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, and Hong Kong demonstrates transnational solidarity, with international activists learning from Hong Kong’s protest tactics and continuing shared democratic struggles across Asia.
Transnational Repression: Even Exile Offers No Safety
Arrest Warrants and Bounties Extended Globally
In July 2023, Hong Kong police issued arrest warrants for eight democracy activists living in the US, UK, and Australia, with bounties of up to HK$1 million for each. In December 2024, Hong Kong police announced new warrants and bounties targeting additional overseas activists. Exiles who believed they reached safety discover Hong Kong’s national security law applies regardless of location. Social media posts made from overseas can trigger criminal charges in Hong Kong.
Harassment of Family Members Left Behind
Between February 10-17, 2025, Hong Kong police detained three relatives of ex-district councillor Carmen Lau, who was wanted for national security breaches. Anna Kwok’s father was arrested for attempting to manage his daughter’s finances in compliance with laws prohibiting support for wanted activists. This tactic—punishing family members for an exile’s political activities—weaponises familial bonds and creates psychological terror.
Asylum and Legal Protection for High-Profile Activists
In August 2025, activists including Tony Chung received refugee status and asylum in Australia and Britain respectively. These approvals formally recognised that pro-democracy activists face persecution in Hong Kong and deserve international protection. Yet asylum processes remain slow. Many exiles live for years in legal limbo unable to establish permanent residency.
The Question of Return: Possible Futures
For most exiles, return seems impossible in the near term. As long as Hong Kong operates under national security laws criminalising political dissent, returning would mean imprisonment. Many exiles have accepted they may never safely return. Yet hope persists. Cheung wrote: “I believe only when Hong Kong people don’t give up, the seeds of freedom and democracy will sprout again one day”—maintaining belief that Hong Kong’s situation could eventually change and that exile might be temporary rather than permanent.
Conclusion: Exile as Ongoing Struggle
Hong Kong’s diaspora of hundreds of thousands represents one of the world’s most significant political exoduses in recent decades. These people did not leave for economic opportunity—they fled political persecution and state repression. Yet diaspora activism continues globally, maintaining commitment to Hong Kong’s liberation despite physical separation from their homeland. Whether exiles can eventually return remains uncertain. What is clear is that Hong Kong’s people refuse to accept authoritarian transformation, even from across the globe.