More Hong Kongers Gain Residency in Australia to Escape Communist Control As Beijing tightens its grip on Hong Kong following the imposition of the National Security Law in July last year, Australia has given safe harbour to Hong Kongers fleeing the country to escape communist control. According to data obtained by SBS, one of Australia’s public broadcasters, around 1,849 Hong Kongers were granted permanent residency (PR) visas between July and November last year. This is a 26 percent increase compared to the five months prior to the introduction of the law. The largest majority of Hong Kongers who were granted PR status occurred in November, with around 59.7 percent (345) being through the skilled worker stream.