MigrantoHong Kong Diaspora
1.2M Hong Kongers live abroad — the #62 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 72% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 421605 |
| USA | 268915 |
| Canada | 204515 |
| United Kingdom | 142011 |
| Australia | 116517 |
| Macao | 23816 |
| Taiwan | 20726 |
| New Zealand | 13920 |
| Japan | 13895 |
| Costa Rica | 4758 |
| Singapore | 3584 |
| Norway | 2972 |
| Brunei | 599 |
| South Africa | 576 |
| Panama | 514 |
| Venezuela | 514 |
| Curaçao | 180 |
| North Korea | 169 |
| Portugal | 168 |
| Cambodia | 130 |
| Belize | 86 |
| Bahamas | 28 |
| Mauritius | 22 |
| Micronesia | 20 |
| El Salvador | 8 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
| Denmark | 0 |
| Estonia | 0 |
| Greece | 0 |
By destination region
Asia is the leading destination region at 39%
484.5K
473.4K
145.2K
130.5K
6.1K
598
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Hong Kong.
China is the primary destination for emigrants
China attracts 34% of all emigrants from Hong Kong, while the second-largest destination receives just 22%.
Taiwan is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Taiwan has increased by 61% since 2015, rising from 12.8K to 20.7K in 9 years.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 6 residents of Hong Kong has emigrated — 1.2M out of 7.5M, representing 16.5% of the population.
The share of emigrants going to Asia has grown since 1990
The share of emigrants going to Asia has shifted from 23.5% to 39.1% since 1990.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 569282 |
| 1995 | 682700 |
| 2000 | 818107 |
| 2005 | 849440 |
| 2010 | 903793 |
| 2015 | 1031087 |
| 2020 | 1146271 |
| 2024 | 1240250 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | China | USA | Canada | United Kingdom | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 110881 | 150484 | 141567 | 72708 | 59104 |
| 1995 | 132434 | 121952 | 232339 | 80651 | 72273 |
| 2000 | 158117 | 210485 | 236559 | 89206 | 75247 |
| 2005 | 188659 | 214124 | 218674 | 98669 | 79854 |
| 2010 | 227011 | 215677 | 210571 | 109135 | 85347 |
| 2015 | 290906 | 244595 | 214832 | 120712 | 95107 |
| 2020 | 359011 | 258439 | 214132 | 133566 | 103398 |
| 2024 | 421605 | 268915 | 204515 | 142011 | 116517 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Hong Kong as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Hong Kong
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Hong Kongers move to?
Most Hong Kongers have moved to China, USA and Canada — these three countries account for about 72% of all Hong Kongers living abroad.
How many Hong Kongers live abroad?
Around 1.2M Hong Kongers live abroad, making it the #62-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Hong Kong lives abroad?
About 16% of the population of Hong Kong lives abroad — that's 1.2M out of a total population of 7.5M.
How has emigration from Hong Kong changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Hong Kong has grown from 1M to 1.2M people, a growth of about 20%.
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