Australia has long been a popular choice for Hong Kongers seeking to migrate, attracting one-third of those who left the city in 2018.
After Beijing passed the national security law in June 2020, Australia implemented initiatives to help fast-track permanent residency for Hong Kongers, Hu told Insider.
Australia granted 1,849 permanent residency visas to Hong Kong passport holders from July to November 2020 — a 26% increase over the previous five months from February to June, according to Australia's SBS News, which obtained the data under the Freedom of Information Act.
Australia is also aggressively courting talents in selected sectors including fintech, data science, and robotics through its Global Talent Visa Program.
To be eligible for the visa, candidates must be "able to attract a salary that meets the high income threshold" of A$158,500 ($118,000) a year, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
Hu said the Global Talent Visa is particularly attractive to specialist talents because those eligible don't even need to have a job to apply for it.
"Most of my clients get permanent residency within six to nine months, so it's a fast-track PR program that attracts very high talents," said Hu, who is the founder of John Hu Migration Consulting.