ment announced on 26 May 1971 a reduction from 8500 to 2700 in
the number of employment vouchers to be issued each year to
Commonwealth citizens and alterations in the categories of
employment and qualifications which would entitle applicants to
vouchers. Previously a total of 600 vouchers had been reserved
each year for the dependent territories - no more than 50 per cent of
which were to be issued to any one territory and the maximum of 300
employment vouchers was consistently taken up by applicants from
Hong Kong. In line with the general reduction in the number of
vouchers available, those allocated for the dependent territories
were reduced from 600 to 400 no more than 50 per cent of which
may go to any one territory. The upper limit is consequently 200
for Hong Kong. Hong Kong will therefore be affected by the overall
reduction in the number of Commonwealth citizens permitted to enter
the United Kingdom for employment.
7. The revised employment voucher scheme aims to concentrate the
intake on persons with skills or professional qualifications to
offer. This principle is not being applied to applications from the
dependent territories. Unskilled and semi skilled workers from
Hong Kong will continue to be accepted.
8 A bone of contention in Hong Kong has been the apparent ease
with which alien Chinese are granted work rermits as compared with
the granting of employment vouchers. These is some justification
for this concern. However, the policy on the intake of alien
workers has been changed and it is Ministers' intention to make a
substantial reduction in the number of work permits available
to unskilled and semi skilled alien workers from all countries.
9. Any of the above information may be used in reply this subject.
any.
to inquiries on
t
Migration & Visa Sept. Jamuan, 1972.