Whispering a fond adieu

But Xia still must serve out her teaching contract in Hong Kong before she can reunite with her family in June next year. With no one to help her babysit at the height of the pandemic while she was at work, she had a tough time. "I was totally worn out. It seemed that leaving the babies in the care of my parents (in Shandong) was the only option."

The long separation is poignant for Xia, but she has to come to terms with it.

Beryl Yip, a 30-year-old Hong Kong resident and her fiance appear to be in a similar position.

They are poised to emigrate to Canada. Leaving Hong Kong, a city they are truly enamored with, was a tough decision to make. But for the sake of their future child's education, Yip says, they have to take that step. "It's sad to see Hong Kong's education becoming more and more politically tinted. Schools should shield teenagers and adolescents from political bias and sentiments because they are still forming their own world values and perspectives. I don't want my kid to be peer pressured in political rows."

There're also Hong Kong parents who have taken temporary refuge with their children in mainland cities that are considered safe as the coronavirus rears its head in the SAR.

Monica Zhang, a mother in her late 20s, has been living in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, with her three children since August, four months after her kids' kindergarten shifted to online teaching. She was perplexed by the need for a kindergarten child to take to virtual learning, which is almost like a "teacher's solo show".

"In-person communication is crucial for children to develop a healthy personality in their tender years," says Zhang. "I notice they have become more outgoing, talkative and sociable since we moved here (Xi'an), maybe because they are able to play with others in a real environment."

Hong Kong's population shrank by 0.6 percent last year, according to the latest annual population report by the Census and Statistics Department. The sharp decline was attributed to a drastic drop in the city's birth rate, a significant rise in mortality, and remarkably fewer people coming to Hong Kong while many moving out. The report says 49,900 Hong Kong residents left the city in 2020 alone.

In 2019, it was reported that 33,000 residents applied for Certificates of No Criminal Conviction — a document issued by the Hong Kong Police Force to obtain various visas, including travel or resident visas, or for the adoption of children — compared with less than 25,000 annually between 2015 and 2018. In the first 11 months of last year, about 26,000 residents applied for the certificate.

The growing number of people leaving is not simply about a declining population. Paul Yip, chair professor of population health at the University of Hong Kong, says that immigrants take their skillsets and assets, which are the most valuable things that Hong Kong can't afford to lose.

Hong Kong has distinguished itself with its cultural diversity and inclusiveness, making it an enticing spot for investment, business expansion and innovation, Yip says. However, if the labor market continues to lose young talent due to a low birth rate and increased immigration, and without adequate skilled professionals coming in to fill in the void, Hong Kong will gradually lose its "treasured edge" — diversity. It will take a toll on the local economy because a diverse work environment provides a rich pool of expertise and mindset, which nurtures creativity and innovation, he says.