Birth rate bounces back as family-friendly measures lead to over 36,000 births: govt

As Hong Kong recorded a new high of over 36,000 births last year, the government attributed the positive shift to the fading impact of the pandemic and various fertility encouragement measures. 

To promote population growth, the government highlighted the introduction of family-friendly initiatives, such as the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme, enhanced childcare support, tax incentives and the Newborn Baby Bonus, to encourage fertility and support families.

According to the government report, birth rates in Hong Kong have exhibited a downward trend over the past decades, with the population experiencing a natural decrease since 2020, which means the number of births has fallen below the number of deaths.

The total fertility rate sank to 701 in 2022 during the COVID pandemic, indicating that each group of 1000 women aged 15 to 49 would only give birth to 701 babies.

However, the government noted the downward trend has begun to reverse as the number of births in the city reached 36,700, with the total fertility rate rising to 841, the highest level since 2021, marking the second consecutive year of increase.

The government has committed to continuing various family-friendly measures to enhance the childcare service system and strengthen support for working families, aiming to expand the female workforce.