For decision

on 19 April 1988

THE PROBLEM

CONFIDENTIAL Mr.

HKD 243/5

XCC(88)40 Copy No.

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

30

59

THE RELAXATION OF CRITERIA FOR LOCAL SETTLEMENT FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

Más Statin +PA.

Vietnamese

Since the local settlement programme for refugees started in April 1986, only 102 out of a total quota of 250 settlement places have been filled. The slow take-up rate has attracted criticism particularly from resettlement countries casting doubts on HKG's sincerity in introducing a local settlement programme. The main reason

of

is the lack sufficient refugees who satisfy the present criteria (paragraph 4(a) - (e)) for, and are willing to accept an offer of, local settlement. This paper reports progress under the local settlement programme and suggests ways to increase the take-up rate so that the quota of 250 can be filled.

RECOMMENDATION AND ADVICE SOUGHT

2

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It is recommended

(a)

that the criteria for local expanded to include

for local settlement be

(i)

in

Hong the

long-stayers, i.e. refugees Kong for 5 or more years, in closed centres (the present criterion is open centre only); or

(ii) ethnic Vietnamese who are capable of

communicating adequately in

in Cantonese (the present criteria. is ethnic Chinese only); or

(iii) refugees who are judged by the

Director of Immigration to be capable of supporting themselves ΟΙ being fully supported by a sponsoring agency (the present criteria is that they must be financially independent); or

(iv) family reunion

cases

including spouses, parent-children, grandparent- grandchildren and siblings, if capable of supporting themselves regardless of eligibility under other criteria; and

CONFIDENTIAL

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