professional and business people and those with
particular technical and managerial skills, as well as
those in the public and disciplined services. The
decisive criteria will be the value of the individual's
service to Hong Kong and their propensity, without a UK
passport, to emigrate.
In addition, provision will be made for those who, by
virtue of their position, may find themselves
vulnerable in the years ahead. Long service with
British institutions in Hong Kong will be taken into
account.
In addition to this scheme but within the total number
I have given, the Government propose to introduce a
special measure designed to assist companies and
institutions in Hong Kong to retain their key
personnel. We intend to reduce substantially the
period of residence in this country that employees of
such organisations would hav o fulfil in order to
achieve settled at us and subsequently citizenship.
For those accepted on the scheme, employment or service
in Hong Kong after the period of residence in the UK
would count towards the total qualifying residence
period. The companies and institutions concerned would
arrange secondments of key personnel for work or
training purposes for relatively short periods of time,
thereby minimising any disruption to their work in Hong