Welsh Parliament debates Home Fee status for BNO Hong Konger students
Today, the Petitions Committee of the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) debated a petition proposing that Hong Kongers under the British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa scheme be granted Home Fee status at Welsh universities after three years’ residency in Wales. The petition was submitted by Melody Lin, a BNO student at Swansea University.
The petition was inspired by Hong Kong Watch’s campaign to grant BNO Hong Kongers Home Fee status at English and Welsh universities after three years’ residency. The petition was signed by 377 BNO Hong Kongers in less than one month, meeting the required number of signatures for debate in the Petitions Committee in the Welsh Parliament.
Today’s Petitions Committee meeting was chaired by Carolyn Thomas MS, and attended by Peter Fox MS, Rhys ab Owen MS, and Luke Fletcher MS. Peter Fox MS, Rhys ab Owen MS and Carolyn Thomas MS all signalled their strong support for the petition.
Peter Fox MS commented, “We know that this country can pull the stops out, when it needs to, to help people who have come to this country.” He highlighted that Scotland has already changed its eligibility requirements for BNO Hong Kongers after three years’ residency and characterised the current situation as an “injustice”.
Rhys ab Owen MS referred to the ineligibility of Home Fee status for BNO Hong Kongers a “scandal”, and called on the Welsh government to live up to the promise of the BNO scheme. “We encouraged these people to come, to stay here, and then we put a huge burden on them to continue their education. I genuinely believe we are cutting off our nose to spite our own face – these are people that want to contribute to our country,” he said.
Hong Kong Watch Research and Policy Advisor Thomas Benson observed the Committee debate and met with Senedd Members, alongside Cardiff and Swansea-based BNO Hong Konger students Melody Lin and Kai, as well as Steve Thornton James of Cardiff Hongkongers CIC.
You can watch the full debate here.