When it became eminent that Hong Kong was going to be given back to China in 1997, Hong Kong residents started making plans to move abroad, to primary destinations such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Those who swore that the Beijing government would hinder their exercise of freedom left in the 1980’s. But the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 in Beijing convinced many who were undecided. In my personal story, I was already on my way out when Tiananmen happened. And my father was one of the “Astronauts” (flying back and forth, and play on word: men without wives) – husbands remain in Hong Kong for work, while the rest of the family were abroad.

Fast-forward to 1998, just one year after the British handover, some Hong Kong-born emigrants returned to Hong Kong with foreign citizenship. The phenomenon was coined the “returning tide”. Indeed, many of my Hong Kong-born friends in Canada began returning to Hong Kong one by one. It was a sad time for me. Many of them preferred the fast pace lifestyle and vibrant nightlife in Hong Kong, despite the long working hours and expensive real estate. For a long while, it has been the returning tide.

But the recent pro-Beijing expedition bill (suspended and withdrawn) and national security law triggered widespread criticism from all over the world. The expedition bill, if passed, could expedite fugitives to Beijing, making it prone to abuse by political foul play. The national security law criminalizes any activity that is not to Central government’s delight, threatening the basic human rights of Hong Kong people, including non-residents.

These events have direct impacts on Aidia Legal’s B2B clients, as new waves of applications could be flocking from Hong Kong. Aidia Legal just announced the inclusion of open work permit application in our next release. For more information, visit the latest Aidia Legal Press page.

Immigration has always been affected by political or other world events. As a separate example, the current pandemic brought Cirque du soleil’s world tour to a halt; as a result, many couples met on tour must decide whose home to return to. Canada seems to be the destination of choice. Aidia Legal has been helping immigration consultants process some of these spousal sponsorship applications. Aidia Legal pays close attention to world events and stay agile to support our B2B clients by delivering timely features.