When Kris joined a massive protest in Hong Kong in 2019, they never imagined it would land them in jail or that it might end their career.
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it → join → career
Kris was among a group of people who were charged for participating in a "riot" over a bill that would have let Hong Kong hand over criminal suspects to places not covered by existing extradition agreements, including mainland China.
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Kong → charge → China
The protests over the proposed extradition law eventually grew into a broader pro-democracy movement.
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protests → propose → movement
"I am not a criminal, and I did not commit any crime.
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I → commit → crime
I joined the anti-extradition movement because of my conscience," said Kris, using a pseudonym.
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Kris → join → pseudonym
Kris has also asked the ABC to not reveal their gender or profession due to fears for their safety.
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Kris → ask → safety
"While I was in prison, I kept looking forward to starting a new life once I got out,"they said.
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I → keep → life
Kris was released from jail after nearly three years, but has struggled to rebuild their life.
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Kris → release → life
"Since my release, all I have wanted is to return to a normal life: to travel freely to other countries, to have the opportunity to study overseas, and to live a simple, ordinary life," they said.
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they → want → life
"I have applied for a renewal of my practising licence, but there has still been no decision.
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I → apply → licence
To be honest, I've already prepared myself for the worst."
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I → prepare → worst
Brandon Yau, founder of advocacy group Waiting Bird HK, told the ABC that after the protests, Hong Kong passed the National Security Law and some professional bodies enforced tougher rules around workers with criminal convictions.
This included deciding whether they could register or continue working in their professions, he said.
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he → tell → professions
Many professions in Hong Kong require workers to meet "fit and proper" standards, which can factor in a person's character and criminal record.
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which → require → record
The ABC has contacted the Social Workers Registration Board and the Law Society of Hong Kong for comment.
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ABC → contact → comment
The Hong Kong Nursing Council told the ABC it had discretion over disciplinary action against nurses with criminal convictions, including permanent or temporary removal from the register.
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it → tell → register
Kris, now in their 30s, wants to "restart" their life in Australia and lodged a student visa application in 2025.
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Kris → want → 2025
They are still waiting for a decision.
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They → wait → decision
"Because of my criminal record in Hong Kong, I encounter difficulties whenever I try to travel abroad," Kris said.
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Kris → encounter → difficulties
"Waiting like this makes it very hard to plan for the future … it feels like a punishment with no end date."
Applicants for Australian visas must pass a character test, which considers factors such as a person's criminal history.
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which → wait → history
A person can fail the test if they have a "substantial criminal record", which includes being sentenced to 12 months or more in prison.
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which → fail → prison
Under Australia's Migration Act 1958, an application like Kris's would likely be referred to the Visa Applicant Character Consideration Unit (VACCU), a specialist unit within the Department of Home Affairs.
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application → refer → Affairs
Melbourne migration lawyer James Wardlaw said applicants must disclose relevant criminal history, which could trigger further assessment by the VACCU.
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which → say → VACCU
He said the unit had a significant backlog, with some cases taking years.
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cases → say → years
A Home Affairs spokesperson told the ABC the department was aware of global developments, and that the VACCU assessed cases on an individual basis, with processing times depending on each applicant's circumstances.
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times → tell → circumstances
However, they did not respond to questions about Kris's case.
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they → respond → case
Mr Wardlaw is representing a number of Hong Kong residents who have applied for asylum in Australia.
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who → represent → Australia
He said most of the charges against pro-democracy activists who were applying for a visa to Australia were politically motivated and that the applicants posed no threat to the Australian community.
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applicants → say → community
Mr Wardlaw added that he had seen lengthy delays for Hong Kong applicants with criminal convictions related to the protests, including those applying for visitor and student visas.
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he → add → visas
Concerns over erosion of rights
Hong Kong authorities say more than 10,000 people were arrested during the 2019 protests, and more than 2,400 of them had been convicted of various offences as of June 30, 2026.
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2,400 → say → June
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson said Australia remained seriously concerned about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and had raised those concerns publicly.
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Australia → say → concerns
In February, Australia's Special Envoy for International Human Rights, Mark Dreyfus, reiterated the concerns at the UN Human Rights Council.
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Envoy → reiterate → Council
In response to the ABC's questions, the Hong Kong government rejected those criticisms and called Canberra "hypocritical".
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government → reject → Canberra
"Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law and has always adhered to the principle that 'laws must be obeyed and law-breakers be held accountable'," it said.
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it → underpin → principle
"All defendants will receive fair trial strictly in accordance with laws applicable to Hong Kong (including the HK National Security Law) and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.
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defendants → receive → Rights
"
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also been contacted for comment.
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Ministry → contact → comment
Canberra introduced a Hong Kong pathway to the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) in 2022, offering eligible Hong Kong applicants a route to permanent residency.
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Canberra → introduce → residency
According to the Department of Home Affairs, 1,804 visas were granted in this stream between March 2022 and August 2026.
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visas → accord → March
Data from Home Affairs show about 47 onshore protection visa applications from Hong Kong citizens were granted in the six months to August 2026.
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applications → show → August
The Aporia
