The provisional estimate of Hong Kong's population was 7,333,200 at end-2022, down 0.9% from 2021, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.

There were 32,500 births and 62,100 deaths, resulting in a natural decrease of 29,500.

Over the same period, there was also a net outflow of 38,800 people, with an inflow of 21,200 one-way permit holders and a net outflow of 60,000 other Hong Kong residents.

The number of usual residents was 7,197,200, while there were 136,000 mobile residents.

The Government said amidst the continued impact of COVID-19, cross-boundary travel has been interrupted. 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 the year, subsequent to the gradual relaxation of anti-epidemic control measures.

It believes that the epidemic would have impacted talent inflow. In terms of talent pooling, in addition to announcing various talent attraction measures in the 2022 Policy Address, the Government set a performance indicator on trawling for outside talent.

The goal is to admit at least 35,000 talented people annually with an intended duration of stay of at least 12 months through the talent admissions schemes from 2023 to 2025, it explained.

It added that net movement includes the movement of Hong Kong residents into and out of the city for various purposes such as work, study and migration.

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.