MigrantoImmigrants in Hong Kong
3M foreigners live in Hong Kong — 40% of the country's population
Immigrants in Hong Kong by country
The 3 largest groups make up 91% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 2490414 |
| Indonesia | 145244 |
| Philippines | 127244 |
| Macao | 76947 |
| Thailand | 20710 |
| India | 19427 |
| United Kingdom | 19063 |
| Malaysia | 16481 |
| Canada | 15819 |
| Japan | 15307 |
| USA | 14298 |
| Vietnam | 11794 |
| Singapore | 10660 |
| Nepal | 10073 |
| Australia | 9809 |
| Pakistan | 8150 |
| South Korea | 5214 |
| New Zealand | 2425 |
| France | 2367 |
| Germany | 2128 |
| Netherlands | 1099 |
| Sri Lanka | 843 |
| Switzerland | 783 |
| Ireland | 749 |
| Italy | 692 |
| Bangladesh | 478 |
| Spain | 432 |
| Portugal | 117 |
| Russia | 93 |
By region of origin
98% of immigrants come from Asia
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Key facts
Immigrants in Hong Kong in numbers
Chinese are the largest group by a wide margin
82% of all immigrants were born in China, while the next group accounts for just 5%.
Immigration drives population growth
57% of the population growth of Hong Kong since 1990 came from immigrants.
52% of all emigrants from Macao live in Hong Kong
No other country has more people born in Macao.
1 in 2 residents of Hong Kong was born abroad
3M of 7.5M residents were born abroad — 40.3% of the population.
1 in 9 people born in Macao lives in Hong Kong
76.9K people born in Macao live in Hong Kong — 11.2% of the population of Macao.
Immigrant population in Hong Kong over time
Foreigners living in Hong Kong, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 2000265 |
| 1995 | 2152873 |
| 2000 | 2305464 |
| 2005 | 2524034 |
| 2010 | 2748711 |
| 2015 | 2809169 |
| 2020 | 2929168 |
| 2024 | 3028860 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Hong Kong, by year
| Year | Chinese | Indonesians | Filipinos | Macanese | Thais |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1659157 | 90186 | 79010 | 57222 | 12860 |
| 1995 | 1772597 | 100652 | 88179 | 58769 | 14353 |
| 2000 | 1886037 | 111117 | 97347 | 60316 | 15845 |
| 2005 | 2070537 | 121316 | 106282 | 64994 | 17299 |
| 2010 | 2260045 | 131809 | 115475 | 69830 | 18795 |
| 2015 | 2309769 | 134708 | 118015 | 71366 | 19208 |
| 2020 | 2408447 | 140463 | 123056 | 74414 | 20028 |
| 2024 | 2490414 | 145244 | 127244 | 76947 | 20710 |
Fastest-changing groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Hong Kong
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Hong Kong
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Hong Kong?
Around 3M immigrants live in Hong Kong — the world's #22 largest immigrant population.
What percentage of the population of Hong Kong are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 40% of the population of Hong Kong — that's 3M out of a total population of 7.5M.
Where do most immigrants in Hong Kong come from?
Most immigrants in Hong Kong come from China, Indonesia and Philippines — these three countries account for about 91% of all immigrants.
How many Chinese live in Hong Kong?
Around 2.5M Chinese live in Hong Kong — about 82% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Hong Kong growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Hong Kong has grown from 2.8M to 3M, about 8%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Hong Kong come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Hong Kong. Their children born in Hong Kong are not included.
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Living in Hong Kong
See the full country overview