Hong Kong Watch, Manulife and Sun Life testify to Canadian Parliament on withholding of C$1.5 billion in MPF retirement savings

Today, co-founder and Chair of Trustees of Hong Kong Watch Aileen Calverley testified before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of the Canadian House of Commons on the withholding of C$1.5 billion worth of Hong Kongers’ Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) retirement savings. Business executives from Canada-based MPF trustees also testified, including Maryscott Greenwood, Manulife’s Global Head of Government Relations for Canada and Laura Hewitt, Sun Life’s Head of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy.

Mrs Calverley opened her testimony by explaining that the MPF is a compulsory retirement savings scheme for the people of Hong Kong. Hong Kongers can ordinarily withdraw their entire MPF early if they make a statutory declaration that they have departed Hong Kong permanently with no intention of returning to resettle, and present a visa, residence permit, or passport that permits them to reside in a place outside of Hong Kong.

However, the Mandatory Provident Fund Authority, which oversees the provision of MPF schemes, released a statement in March 2021 saying that because the British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport was no longer recognised by the Hong Kong government as a valid travel document and proof of identity as of January 2021, those trying to withdraw their MPF early cannot rely on the BNO passport or visa as evidence in support of an application for early MPF withdrawal. 

Despite this statement, the MPF-related legislation, regulations, and terms of the deeds governing entitlement to MPF benefits remain unchanged. Under the MPF trust deed, trustees like Manulife and Sun Life have a legal obligation to release the savings to beneficiaries who can provide evidence of their right to reside in a foreign country. Mrs Calverley also made it clear that the BNO visa and passport are UK government-issued documents, and not similar to temporary work permits or other temporary visas. 

During the hearing, the Manulife and Sun Life representatives repeatedly evaded responding to direct ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions from Canadian Members of Parliament, including Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe MP, Jenny Kwan MP, Greg McLean MP and Tom Kmiec MP, who asked both companies why they still operate in Hong Kong despite the city being under an authoritarian regime. The answers from the representatives, or lack thereof, contradicted not only statistical evidence found by Hong Kong Watch in April 2023 and May 2024, but also numerous case studies and rejection letters demonstrating that both Manulife and Sun Life have denied Hong Kongers in Canada and the UK access to their MPF if they apply using their BNO passport or visa. 

For example, Mrs Calverley raised the case of a Hong Konger in Canada who had obtained Canadian permanent residency (PR) and applied to withdraw their MPF savings from Manulife, but was denied simply because they arrived in Canada with their BNO passport. “It is unjust that even Hong Kongers who have obtained PR status are facing challenges in accessing their own savings. Denying individuals with a BNO passport their rightful access to their own savings is a violation of their fundamental rights. We cannot ignore this injustice, and I urge parliamentarians to investigate this pressing matter and stand with the people of Hong Kong,” said Mrs Calverley.

Aileen Calverley added:

“It is not only outrageous that Hong Kongers in Canada and the UK continue to be denied access to their MPF, but it is also a clear example of transnational repression. The Hong Kong government has no legal basis to deny the assets of Hong Kongers who have relocated overseas due to fear of losing their rights in Hong Kong. Furthermore, businesses should not be complicit in the government’s attempts to deny access to these assets. It is imperative for the Canadian Parliament and the Government of Canada to collaborate and promptly restore the rights of Hong Kongers, including their rightful access to their hard-earned MPF.”

香港監察、宏利、永明出席加拿大國會移民委員會聽證會 就港人被拒提取MPF作供

今天，香港監察共同創辦人兼信託董事會主席Aileen Calverley出席加拿大眾議院公民及移民常務委員會聽證會，就香港人被拒絕提取總值15億加元的強積金（MPF）退休儲蓄事宜作供。加拿大MPF受託人的企業高層亦有作供，包括宏利（Manulife）加拿大政府關係環球主管Maryscott Greenwood，以及永明金融（Sun Life）環球政府事務及公共政策主管Laura Hewitt。

在聽證會上，宏利和永明金融的代表多番迴避回答加拿大國會議員所提出「是」或「否」的直接問題，包括Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe MP、Jenny Kwan MP、Greg McLean MP和Tom Kmiec MP，其中Tom Kmiec MP質問兩家公司為何仍在獨裁政權下的香港營運。兩位代表的答覆或缺乏答覆不但與香港監察在2023年4月和2024年5月發現的統計證據有矛盾，而且與大量個案研究和拒絕信函有抵觸，這些資料顯示宏利和永明金融拒絕了以BNO護照或簽證申請的加、英港人提取MPF。

舉例而言，Aileen Calverley提出一名已獲得加拿大永久居留權在加香港人的個案，有關人士向宏利申請提取MPF儲蓄，但因持BNO護照來加而被拒絕。Aileen Calverley批評，連已獲得永居身分的香港人取回自己儲蓄都有困難，實屬不公，又指拒絕持BNO護照人士正當提取​​儲蓄侵犯基本權利。她促請國會議員調查這迫切問題，並站在香港人一方。

Aileen Calverley補充：

「加、英港人持續被拒絕提取MPF，情況不但令人憤慨，而且是跨國鎮壓的明顯例子。香港政府沒有法律依據阻撓因擔憂在香港喪失權利而移居海外的香港人提取資產，企業亦不得為虎作倀。加拿大國會和政府必須合力迅速恢復香港人的權利，包括正當提取MPF血汗錢的權利。」