11 December 2014 - According to estimates of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong, there are now 17,000 French residing in the city. A 50% plus increase of French arrivals within the last 5 years was recorded by the Immigration Department, greatly outnumbering the growth among other European arrivals. It is believed that increasing business opportunities between China and the well-established French community are major factors attracting them to reside in Hong Kong.
In a response to OKAY.com, Pauline Dykmans, PR Manager of the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau stated that ‘the growth of the French community in Hong Kong is in line with the growth of Hong Kong’s economy and, more generally, booming Asian markets to which Hong Kong, as a trade and financial center, offers very easy access.’
In recent years, the average age of Hong Kong’s French population is also getting younger. Thanks to the steady increase of MNCs targeting China setting up bases in the city, more and more fresh graduates and young professionals from France are being attracted to this dynamic city. A Facebook page for younger French expats in Hong Kong has already reached 5,000 members since its creation in 2010.
Nora Souhlal, Senior Consultant at OKAY.com, and a mother of two kids, is a French national who moved to Hong Kong in 2008. Servicing lots of French clients, Nora commented that they are mainly families transferred by multinational companies, and are especially keen on living in Mid-Levels East, Happy Valley and on the Southside. Since the opening of the French International School in Hung Hom, the French community has also started to spread out to modern buildings in the area (e.g. Laguna Verde, Royal Peninsula). Being asked about her plans in Hong Kong, she said “me and my family are planning to stay for a long time in Hong Kong, because it’s a very safe place to raise kids, the energy of this city is phenomenal, and I like the people here!”
