CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 958
OF 191115Z MARCH 90
CONFIDENTIAL
HKC340
IN T
26 MAR 1990
OFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UREP JLG HONG KONG
(73)
076723
MDHIAN 1887
валы
Pani 1983
MIPT: UK NATIONALITY SCHEME: CHINESE VIEWS SPEAKING NOTE ON EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG AND THE NEED FOR ACTION
BEGINS
1. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE EMIGRATING FROM THE TERRITORY HAS INCREASED FROM AN AVERAGE OF SOME 20,000 PER YEAR DURING THE PERIOD 1989 - 86, TO 30,000 IN 1987, 45,800 IN 1988 AND 42,000 IN 1989. WE BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF EMIGRANTS WILL REACH SOME 55,000 THIS YEAR. IF THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MAIN EMIGRATION DESTINATIONS REMAIN BROADLY AS THEY ARE NOW, EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG IS LIKELY TO REMAIN AT THE LEVEL OF 50,000 TO 60,000 PER YEAR FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
2. THE CAUSE OF THE MARKED INCREASE IN EMIGRATION SINCE 1987 IS UNDOUBTEDLY DUE TO FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE. AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASED IMMIGRATION QUOTAS IN SOME POPULAR DESTINATIONS SUCH AS CANADA AND AUSTRALIA HAVE CONTRIBUTED BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGHER NUMBERS TO LEAVE. THESE INCREASED QUOTAS HAVE TENDED TO BE LINKED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOPHISTICATED IMMIGRATION POLICIES THROUGH WHICH THE HOST COUNTRIES TARGET AS POTENTIAL IMMIGRANTS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE PARTICULAR SKILLS THEY MOST NEED. AS A RESULT, NOT ONLY HAS THERE BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBERS EMIGRATING, BUT ALSO IN THE PROPORTION OF EMIGRANTS WHO POSSESS SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WHICH ARE TIME-CONSUMING AND COSTLY FOR HK TO REPLACE.
3. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MID-1980S THE PROPORTION OF EMIGRANTS WHO WERE IN THE PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGERIAL CATEGORY OF THE WORKFORCE WAS ABOUT 14 PERCENT. HOWEVER, IN MORE RECENT YEARS, THE PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN MUCH HIGHER: IN 1987-89 IT WAS AROUND 24 PERCENT. SUCH PEOPLE MAKE UP LESS THAN 6 PERCENT OF HK'S POPULATION AS A WHOLE. SIMILARLY THE PROPORTION OF EMIGRANTS WITH DEGREE LEVEL EDUCATION HAS INCREASED FROM 12 PERCENT TO 15 PERCENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD: SUCH PEOPLE MAKE UP LESS THAN 4
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