Same-Sex Visa Win in Hong Kong Pressures Other Asia Finance Hubs
- Court ruling puts city at forefront of Asia gay rights push
- Singapore, Japan could lose out in attracting expat talent
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A landmark Hong Kong court ruling granting visas to spouses of gay expatriate workers will help fuel LGBT groups pressuring Singapore and Japan to change their policies as the global financial hubs vie for business and talent.
The top court’s decision puts Asia’s premier financial hub at the forefront of the nascent movement for gay rights in Asia, where only Taiwan is in the process of recognizing same-sex marriage. Law firms and banks -- including Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Credit Suisse Group AG and Nomura Holdings Inc. -- cheered the ruling after long arguing that discrimination against gay and lesbian workers hindered their recruiting.