Snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan, who obtained Hong Kong residency last year through a talent scheme, “has not given up” on the city, the immigration chief has said, despite the newlywed seven-time world champion recently revealing plans to move to the Middle East.
Asked about O’Sullivan’s intentions after he confirmed two days ago that he had married actress Laila Rouass, Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung said on Sunday that he had been in touch with him and had stressed that Hong Kong’s door was still open to him.
“As far as I understand, a lot has been happening for him in the past few months, and it’s hard to say if his immigration plans will change,” Kwok said.
“However, he also hasn’t given up on Hong Kong. From what I know, he is expected to come to Hong Kong next month to attend the opening ceremony of his snooker club here.
“He really likes Hong Kong, so if there are things here that can entice him to stay, he might just choose Hong Kong as his place of residence.”
British media reported the 49-year-old snooker star was selling his £2 million house in Essex and planned to head off to the United Arab Emirates with his new wife.
O’Sullivan, a professional snooker player since 1992 with 41 ranking tournament titles, officially became a Hong Kong resident through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme last year, with the Immigration Department highlighting its success in attracting global talent on social media.
In a video released at that time, O’Sullivan expressed his enthusiasm for Hong Kong, commending its culinary scene, vibrant culture and the strong local passion for snooker. He also emphasised the city’s favourable tax environment, calling it a “great place to live.”
In an interview in early May, he revealed his desire for “a new life somewhere else”, expressing his intention to leave Britain and move to the Middle East. He admitted, however, that he was unsure about his future, “whether it’s playing or not”.
Kwok at the time said he was “not surprised” that O’Sullivan might relocate to the Middle East while acknowledging Hong Kong faced “stiff competition” when it came to attracting top talent.
On Sunday, Kwok reiterated that the talent scheme was highly appealing, attracting top people across sectors interested in relocating to the city.
He noted that after O’Sullivan paved the way, a significant number of elite snooker players, including Judd Trump and Neil Robertson, submitted applications to move to Hong Kong.
Kwok expressed hope that, beyond sports, other sectors such as the cultural industry would see more top-tier individuals choose to relocate to Hong Kong.