Nepalese in Hong Kong are mainly the descendants of ex-Gurkhas who were born in Hong Kong during their parents' service as the British Gurkhas. After the handover in 1997, the government entitled Hong Kong-born Nepalese the right of abode.

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Nepalese Gurkhas have a key role within the British armed forces for almost 200 years. They have served Hong Kong for more than 50 years as British Gurkha soldiers after World War Two. Before the 1997 return to Chinese sovereignty, the city played host to the brigade’s headquarters and was then home to more than 10,000 Gurkha servicemen. During the period, the Gurkha worked and lived in an isolated life in the military camps separately from local Chinese. They spent most of the time on training, not only in military, but also languages including English and Nepali.

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After Hong Kong reverted to Chinese control, many of the Gurkhas transferred to other units of the British army. But most were discharged. They were allowed to stay in Hong Kong. The Joint declaration and Basic Law has protected the right of abode of those children of Gurkhas’ who were born in Hong Kong. Nowadays, a very large proportion of the Hong Kong’s Nepali community is either ex-British Army Gurkhas or their dependent family members. They have stayed in Hong Kong and developed families in this foreign land.

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Some journals and news articles are good references for knowing more about the background of the Nepalese community. The first one is an article was written before the handover in 1997, demonstrating the situation of Gurkha soldiers at that period. The second one is a research paper targeting on the sociolinguistic aspect of the first, second and third generation of Nepalese in Hong Kong.

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• Lin, J. (1996, July 9). Gurkha Soldiers, Facing Loss Of Hong Kong, Look To The Sea Britain Will Give Up The Territory Where It Stations 1,500 Nepalese. Philly.com. Retrieved from http://articles.philly.com/1996-07-09/news/25620905_1_gurkha-soldiers-landlocked-nepal-british-soldiers

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• Nishida, F. (2004). ‘Zài Xiānggăng Níbóěrrén shèhuì de Yŭyán Shēnghúo’ [A Sociolinguistic Study of Nepalese in Hong Kong] . Chūgoku kenkyū [Chinese Studies], 12, 71-78.