Close to one in five ethnic minority individuals in Hong Kong are living in poverty, government report shows

Poverty among ethnic minority groups in Hong Kong has worsened, with almost one in five people living below the breadline, according to a government report released on Wednesday.

The data showed the poverty rate among ethnic minorities hit 19.4 per cent in 2016, up from 15.8 per cent in 2011.

Even after taking government subsidies or welfare allowances into account, some 36,800 ethnic minority individuals were living under the poverty line, with a poverty rate of 14.5 per cent.

In 2011, there were 26,800 still living under the poverty line despite public welfare, with a poverty rate of 13.9 per cent.

The data was included in the Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report on Ethnic Minorities 2016, which was tabled for discussion at Wednesday’s meeting of the Commission on Poverty.

Hong Kong draws its poverty line at half the median monthly household income according to household size. Those living below the line are considered poor.

For single people, the median monthly income was HK$4,000 (US$512) in 2016, HK$9,000 for a two-person household, and HK$15,000 for three people.

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According to the 2016 population by-census, there were about 264,000 ethnic minority individuals in Hong Kong, or about 3.6 per cent of the local population, excluding foreign domestic helpers. South Asians, comprising Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese, were the largest ethnic minority group in Hong Kong, taking up some 30 per cent of the total ethnic minority population.

According to the poverty situation report, some 39.3 per cent of the “poor” ethnic minorities were born in Hong Kong. Some 74.5 per cent of them were “economically inactive”.

According to its analysis, the government said, even if these individuals were employed, they could usually obtain only low-paying jobs due to “low educational attainment and skill levels”.

Of those with work, some 38 per cent had only lower secondary level eduction. Thirty-six per cent had taken some courses or had up to upper secondary level education.

“Additionally, with generally larger household sizes, such employed members generally had to shoulder the family burden alone, which rendered it more difficult for them to move out of poverty even with employment,” a government statement said.

About 35 per cent of the “poor” ethnic minority households had at least four people, according to the report. Slightly over half of these “poor” households had dependant children.

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, also the chairman of the Commission on Poverty, said the government and the commission attached great importance to the livelihoods of ethnic minorities.

He promised that the government would step up efforts to enhance these groups’ awareness and use of public services to facilitate their access to welfare services.

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“Hong Kong is home to the ethnic minorities living here. The government has all along been providing support measures covering various areas to facilitate the integration of ethnic minorities,” Cheung said.

He noted that a series of measures, including the working family allowance announced in the policy address, could be expected to provide more effective assistance to more ethnic minority families in need.