Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential barriers to employment for people from Hong Kong who are resident in the UK under the British National (Overseas) visa (a) in general and (b) when that employment requires a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction to be secured from the Hong Kong authorities for the purposes of a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

The Government is aware that some Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status holders [BN(O)s] can face barriers to employment in the UK. To support BN(O)s as they integrate into their communities, the department developed a Welcome Programme, which launched in April 2021. Through this programme, BN(O)s are able to access guidance and support on a range of issues including employment, education, housing and English language provision.

The Government has recently announced a “Jobs for Hongkongers” initiative, part of the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme. This will be delivered by The Growth Company and will support BN(O)s in England to find employment through an 8-week course. Support will be delivered in Cantonese, in person and remotely, allowing access to all who need support. Where a BN(O) requires a Certificate of No Criminal Conviction check, there is guidance on the process and sectoral examples for obtaining alternative checks on GOV.UK.