How Hong Kong is losing doctors and nurses as health care workers seek to leave amid uncertainty over extradition bill crisis
- Overseas demand for medical staff is strong, and agencies providing emigration services say protests have led to a surge in inquiries from the sector
- Political storm has exacerbated general lost of faith in city, justifying decisions of many to leave
More Hong Kong doctors and nurses have considered bidding farewell to Hong Kong, with the trend sparked by the ongoing extradition bill crisis, according to emigration agencies in the city.
Benny Cheung Ka-hei, director of Goldmax Immigration Consulting, noted that inquiries between April and June from people seeking greener pastures abroad tripled from the first quarter of the year, with top destinations being Canada, the United States and Australia.
Cheung attributed the surge in cases, which included doctors and nurses, to the furore over the now-suspended extradition bill. Two historic protest marches were held in June.
“We saw there was a rapid increase in inquiries in June, especially after June 12,” he added, referring to the police’s use of tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds to disperse bill protesters in Admiralty.
Jenny Yeung, 32, a nurse who will move to Australia with her husband and two-year-old daughter this September, said the bill saga justified her decision.