Hongkongers face uncertain future after Farage promise

Mark O'Neill September 26, 2025 13:36

The more than 160,000 Hong Kong people who have emigrated to the UK with a BNO passport face an uncertain future after a dramatic news conference by Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party.

On Monday, he announced that, if he became Prime Minister, he would abolish the status of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). More than 800,000 foreign-born people, including the HK BNO holders, enjoy this status.

He would ban non-UK citizens from receiving social benefits, including access to the National Health Service, which is free of charge.

If this new regime was implemented, the Hong Kongers would stay with their existing five-year visas and could then apply for another work visa of the same duration. To obtain one, they must have to pass an English language test more stringent than the current one and earn a salary higher than the current threshold.

The Reform UK proposal also raises the average wait for UK citizenship from six to seven years.

Currently Reform UK holds five seats in the British Parliament, out of 650 seats. In the latest opinion polls, it has support of 28 per cent of the voters, eight percentage points ahead of the ruling Labour Party. The next general election is not due to be held until 2029.

A survey by YouGov in June of 11,500 voters found that, if a general election were to be held now, Reform UK would obtain 217 seats, against 178 for Labour, 81 for the Liberal Democrats and 46 for the Conservatives. Reform would have the largest number, but not a majority.

On September 13, more than 110,000 people marched through central London in a demonstration against immigration. It was one of the biggest protests in Britain in recent years.

At his news conference, Farage said that Britain had a high level of debt and could no longer finance the welfare, education and housing bills of the immigrants. “We must give priority to British citizens,” he said. Currently Hongkongers with BNO visas have no recourse to public funds.

“People due to become eligible for ILR between 2026 and 2030 tend to be young and low-skilled and will be a huge burden on the state by claiming benefits,” he said.

Natasha Catterson, a British immigration lawyer, said that Farage’s proposals had added further unpredictability to an evolving debate. “For those already on the path to settlement, the shifting landscape can be particularly concerning. Timelines that once appeared well-defined may now be subject to extension. There is ongoing discussion about the removal of existing rights.,” she wrote in a Blog on September 22.

In a White Paper in May, the Labour government said that the ILR qualifying period would be doubled from five to 10 years for most people. It did not say if this would apply to Hongkongers already in the U.K.

The White Paper also mentioned an “earned contribution” model, under which settlement and citizenship were granted to those who demonstrated strong integration, economic contribution or worked in key growth sectors. Some HK migrants could benefit from this, such as medical or nursing specialists and others with special skills in sectors prioritised by the government.

Edward Leung, a migration consultant in Hong Kong, said that, after the White Paper, Farage’s proposals were a further blow to HK people. “For many, the main reason to migrate was to obtain a UK passport. That would give them the freedom to live in many countries.

“They had budgeted for that and were willing to take jobs that pay less than what they earned here and are below their level of skill. But how can they plan for the future now? They do not know how long they have to wait for citizenship nor even if they will obtain it,” he said.

Among the 800,000 ILR holders, the Hong Kong people are probably the most desirable for the British economy.

Earlier this year the China Strategic Risks Institute sent an analysis to the Home Office. It said that allowing Hong Kongers who have moved to the UK to stay permanently after five years could bring more than four billion pounds to the British Treasury by 2029.

According to its calculations, the average Hongkonger has 26,376 pounds worth of pension savings in the Mandatory Provident Fund. Once they become permanently resettled abroad, they have the right under Chinese law to withdraw and move their pension savings.

In other words, in the 800,000, the Hong Kong migrants are among the most economically beneficial to the UK. They contribute more to the state in spending and taxes than they receive in benefits.

Unfortunately they find themselves trapped in the bitter anti-immigration debate. Even if Farage does not become Prime Minister, the government is likely to follow some of his ideas, to respond to angry public sentiment.

Mark O'Neill

A Hong Kong-based writer, teacher and speaker.