UK Widespread Professional Discrimination Against HK BNO Holders: Athletes Barred from Sports Careers and Forced into Menial Jobs

I wrote earlier that Hong Kong BNO holders would face challenges in the Year of the Snake, and indeed, bad news has been coming in waves. A friend recently sent me a message about representatives from several Hong Kong organizations in the UK going to Geneva file a complaint with a United Nations committee. This time, however, they weren't protesting against the Hong Kong government's “human rights violations”, but rather alleging discrimination in the UK. What infuriates them most is that Hong Kong people with BNO visas are prohibited from becoming professional athletes or full-time coaches, forcing them to switch to low-paying jobs, leaving many emotionally distressed and resentful.

Beyond the sports industry, a recent think tank study indicated that many professional qualifications held by people from Hong Kong who moved to the UK are not recognized. To enter their relevant fields, they must retake certification exams, which are costly. As a result, many have no choice but to accept lower-status, non-professional "handyman" jobs, leading to significant frustration. The UK government's priority is to protect employment for its citizens, and Hong Kong people's complaints to the UN are unlikely to have any effect.

A few years ago, when a large number of Hong Kong residents moved to the UK, many of them envisioned the UK as a "human rights paradise." However, after living there for several years, they've realized that the "equality" they imagined is far from reality. This time, when several "yellow" organizations went to Geneva to voice their grievances, Kwok Tsz-kin, founder of "Scottish Hongkongers," angrily pointed out that the current British Nationality Act "systematically discriminates" against HK BNO holders, creating barriers in employment, education, and other areas.

He specifically highlighted a clause in the BNO visa that prohibits visa holders from working as professional athletes or coaches for five years, and even restricts them from roles in sports management and refereeing. According to data, about 5,400 of the approximately 150,000 Hong Kong people residing in the UK on BNO visas are affected by this clause.

Unable to enter their fields, these Hong Kong people are forced to take other low-paying jobs. For example, Mr. Wong, who arrived in the UK in April last year with coaching qualifications in a certain sport, was prohibited from coaching due to visa restrictions and had to seek other positions. Additionally, E, a 39-year-old Hong Kong elite athlete and coach who holds Hong Kong records, is neither allowed to participate in sports competitions in the UK nor permitted to coach, leading to depression and even suicidal tendencies.

In Geneva, Kwok Tsz-kin proposed to the "UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights" that the UK government should remove this clause, allowing Hong Kong BNO holders to freely choose sports-related work and integrate into the UK sports community without discrimination. A friend familiar with the UK situation told me this is wishful thinking. The UK government has from the start viewed BNO holders as "outsiders" who cannot enjoy citizens' rights, so the possibility of removing the aforementioned clause is practically "zero." If they want to excel in sports competitions, they might as well return to Hong Kong to seek opportunities.

My friend pointed out that the discrimination against Hong Kong people’s professional qualifications extends far beyond athletes and coaches. Recently, the Financial Times interviewed a group of Hong Kong people who moved to the UK. A surveyor with experience managing large contracts arrived in the UK in mid-2023 but had no job offers after six months of searching. He had to take a temporary job sorting mail to make ends meet. After much effort, he finally secured a position as an administrative officer in a public institution, but at a much lower level than his position in Hong Kong.

A report by the British think tank "Britain's Future" published last October also interviewed a Hong Kong group of people with professional qualifications. Most couldn't find professional positions after arriving in the UK. An accountant had to work in a restaurant kitchen, an IT professional and insurance industry practitioner became warehouse worker, and a teacher took a job as a caregiver in a nursing home.

The report indicates that most people's original professional qualifications are not recognized by local organizations. They are required to retake certification exams. However, this is expensive, with some professional qualifications costing £15,000. Those who came to the UK from Hong Kong with limited savings can't afford this and have to give up.

Financial professionals also struggle to find work. The report notes that some banks' HR departments reject Hong Kong job seekers, citing "lack of UK experience." Some have no choice but to reluctantly seek other "non-professional" positions.

Under this "systemic discrimination," Hong Kong people who moved to the UK find themselves in dire straits, not only with significantly reduced incomes but also, most unbearably, with a sense of "humiliation." The UK has always been a class-conscious society, with discriminatory attitudes deeply embedded. It's just that they were initially too simple and naive, blinded by passion, choosing not to see it.

Lai Ting Yiu

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** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

Alan Leung Ka-kit, the former president of the Civic Party, recently posted a “farewell to 2024”  message on  Facebook. In the post, he elaborated the idea of "living in the moment" by sharing photos of himself enjoying gourmet meals at the Spring Moon Restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel. He further illustrated his “moment”  with quotes from Tang dynasty poetry, evoking a sentiment of "no matter how the winds may change, I remain carefree."

However, Leung’s post had drawn quite a number of mocking comments. Many netizens juxtaposed his carefree demeanour displaced on the New Year’s Eve with the much grave situation faced by his former political allies, some of whom were spending the New Year in prison. The criticism was sharp, highlighting the contrast between Leung’s enjoyment and the plight of those who had once stood with him. This served as a reminder of how Leung, once a leading figure in Hong Kong's pan-democratic camp, had skilfully avoided the political risks that ensnared others.

Leung, once a prominent leader of Hong Kong's pan-democratic movement, has long been known for his political astuteness. According to insider reports, Leung had started to show his ability to "dodge danger" and avoid serious risks  at his early recognition of the changing political environment. Unlike others, such as Benny Tai and Alvin Yeung, who continued their activism despite being fully aware of the impending dangers, Leung managed to tactfully distance himself from risky positions, feigning naiveté while avoiding involvement in potentially hazardous political actions.

On New Year's Eve at the Spring Moon Restaurant, in addition to showing off pictures of his gourmet meals, Leung quoted a passage from Tang dynasty poet Wang Han's Liangzhou Ci: "I want to finish the beautiful wine in the glowing cup, but the pipa is urging me to get on the horse. I lie drunk on the battlefield, but don't you laugh at me, for how many could return from wars in history?" Some political observers opined that Leung was using the line "how many could return from wars in history" as a metaphor for his former political allies who had walked a path of no return.

However, many comments criticized Leung's apparent detachment from reality, pointing out his indulgence in luxury while his former comrades languished in prison. One remarked, "Mr. Leung, congratulations on enjoying life at the Peninsula so carefree. But how should your imprisoned comrades ‘live in the moment’?" Another comment said, "In the Hong Kong of this moment, only this came to my mind: 'It is better to relentlessly pursue an enemy than to seek fame by imitating a tyrant.'” Political observers interpreted this as a call to continue to pursue accountability of those responsible for the 2019 unrest. Wonder if Leung’s heart would miss a beat hearing that.

Leung's departure from active politics allowed him to avoid the legal consequences that ensnared his peers. Reports indicate that, in the months leading up to the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Leung recognized the imminent dangers and skilfully distanced himself from key decisions. Political insiders revealed that, according to testimony from prosecution witness Au Nok-hin in the 2020 '35+' subversion case, in 2020, after a closed-door meeting where Benny Tai, Lee Wing-tat, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Raphael Wong discussed the details of an illegal primary election, they decided to reach out to other pan-democratic party leaders for further discussions and immediately arranged a meeting with Civic Party leader Alan Leung Ka-kit. However, during the meeting, Leung claimed he had retired from frontline politics and suggested that the matter should be taken up with the Civic Party’s executive committee. This strategic move allowed him to sidestep direct involvement in high-risk activities, while others like Alvin Yeung, Kwok Ka-ki and Jeremy Tam were caught in the fallout.

As the political climate worsened, Leung understood that the Civic Party was facing imminent peril. To protect himself, he and a few core members decided to disband the party before it could be targeted.

On the day the Civic Party officially dissolved, Leung quoted a line from a Song dynasty poem, saying, "There is neither wind nor rain, nor clear skies" as an expression of his resignation. But it drew sharp criticism from Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Tang was dismayed by Leung’s frivolous attitude which was intended to distance himself and those leaders of the Civic Party from the 2019 riots. Secretary Tang's criticism was valid—Leung and other senior Civic Party members, such as Audrey Eu, could not evade responsibility for their roles in the chaos of 2019.

In fact, Leung is not alone who have avoided repercussions. Apart from Audrey Eu, there are Martin Lee, Anson Chan, and Lee Wing-tat. One must wonder: Do they have a sense of quilt over the imprisonment of the younger generation? Or, like Leung, carefree and continue to "live in the moment,"  and detach themselves from the consequences of their leads?

Lai Ting Yiu