Year-end Population for 2022
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The population decrease between end-2021 and end-2022 comprised a natural decrease (i.e. deaths surpassing births) and a net outflow of Hong Kong residents (i.e. inflow less than outflow). A natural decrease of 29 500 was recorded during the period, with 32 500 births and 62 100 deaths. Over the same period, a net outflow of 38 800 persons was recorded, with an inflow of 21 200 One-way Permit holders and a net outflow of 60 000 other Hong Kong residents.
Among the total population at end-2022, 7 197 200 were Usual Residents and 136 000 were Mobile Residents. The revised figure for the mid-year population for 2022 was 7 346 100. The number of Usual Residents was revised to 7 194 600 and the number of Mobile Residents to 151 500. The rate of change in population from mid-2021 to mid-2022 was also revised to -0.9%.
Table 1 presents estimated total population as at end-2022, while Table 2 presents population figures from mid-2011 to end-2022.
Commentary
A government spokesperson pointed out that natural decrease (deaths surpassing births) has widened in 2022. Hong Kong's fertility rate is persistently among the lowest in Asian economies. The number of births dropped significantly from 52 900 in 2019 to 32 500 in 2022. On the other hand, the number of deaths edged up from 49 000 to 62 100 over the same period under the fifth wave of the epidemic in 2022 and in tandem with the ageing trend of the population.
"Amidst the continued impact of COVID-19, cross-boundary travel has been interrupted. It is observed that the inflow of people into Hong Kong has remained at a low level for most of the time in 2022 before seeing a slight rebound near the end of 2022, subsequent to the gradual relaxation of anti-epidemic control measures," the spokesperson said.
"It is believed that the epidemic would have impacted talent inflow, especially those on short-term employment visas/entry permits. We noticed that the population decrease in the second half of 2022 has narrowed when compared to that in the first half, reflecting that movement of the Hong Kong population has begun to resume normal gradually. Relevant factors which had affected talent inflow would dissipate gradually when the society and economy of Hong Kong further return to normalcy amidst Hong Kong's resumption of normal travel with the Mainland and other places around the world. In terms of pooling of talents, the Government has announced in the 2022 Policy Address various talent attraction measures and set performance indicator on trawling for outside talents, with the aim to admit at least 35 000 talents annually with an intended duration of stay of at least 12 months through the talent admissions schemes from 2023 to 2025.
The spokesperson added, "Net movement includes the movement of Hong Kong residents into and out of Hong Kong for various purposes such as work, study and migration, but the breakdown of figures is not available. Hong Kong residents travelling abroad are not required to declare to the Government their purpose of travel. Therefore, the Government does not have direct statistics on emigration of Hong Kong residents. Being an international city, Hong Kong's population has always been mobile. During the past ten years, net outflows of Hong Kong residents other than One-way Permit holders were recorded for most of the years."
Further information
"Usual Residents" refer to two categories of people: (1) Hong Kong Permanent Residents who have stayed in Hong Kong for at least three months during the six months before or for at least three months during the six months after the reference time-point, regardless of whether they are in Hong Kong or not at the reference time-point; and (2) Hong Kong Non-permanent Residents who are in Hong Kong at the reference time-point.
For those Hong Kong Permanent Residents who are not "Usual Residents", they are classified as "Mobile Residents" if they have stayed in Hong Kong for at least one month but less than three months during the six months before or for at least one month but less than three months during the six months after the reference time-point, regardless of whether they are in Hong Kong or not at the reference time-point.
Under the current practice, the latest population estimate is released on a provisional basis in each round. The revised estimate will be released six months later. In other words, while the provisional population estimate for end-2022 is released today, the corresponding revised estimate will be released in August 2023.
Ends/Thursday, February 16, 2023
Issued at HKT 16:30
Issued at HKT 16:30
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