CONFIDENTIAL
Mr Weation
сим
I attach previous
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пат 31112.
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COPY
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paper.
31/12
017305
MDHOAN 6585
103
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1773
OF 30144OZ DEC 92
AND TO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG
83
84
YOUR TELNO 2712 AND 2713: BRITISH NATIONALITY CHONG KONG) ACT 1990: BONAS MACHINE COMPANY
1. WE SUBMITTED A DRAFT REPLY ON THE LINES OF YOUR TELNO 2713 TO NO 10. NO 10 HAVE ALSO CONSULTED THE DTI. THE DTI ACCEPT THAT UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM THIS IS THE ONLY DECISION POSSIBLE. BUT THEY HAVE ASKED WHETHER THE CRITERIA SHOULD BE CHANGED. THEY SUGGEST THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE OF SKILLED CHINESE WORKERS, SUCH AS ENGINEERS AND TECHNICIANS, APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP AND FAILING. THEY ALLEGE THAT THE PERSONNEL CONCERNED THEN SIMPLY TRANSFER THEIR SKILLS TO COMPETITOR COUNTRIES' COMPANIES. NO 10 THEREFORE ASK WHETHER WE WOULD BE WILLING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE POINTS SYSTEM TO REDUCE THIS OCCURRENCE.
2.
WE EXPECT YOU WOULD WISH US TO REPLY ON THE LINES THAT, GIVEN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE, THE SCHEME CANNOT BENEFIT ALL SKILLED WORKERS, BUT IS DESIGNED TO SELECT THE MOST VALUABLE APPLICANTS. THE CRITERIA PLACE A PREMIUM ON AGE AND EXPERIENCE TO ENSURE THOSE AT THEIR PEAK (WITH 15-20 YEARS BEFORE RETIREMENT) STAND MOST CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING, BUT THAT THE SCHEME ALSO GIVES AN IMPORTANT ADVANTAGE TO THOSE WORKING FOR BRITISH FIRMS. IN THE CASE OF THE BONAS EMPLOYEES, AMENDING THE POINTS SYSTEM IN THEIR FAVOUR WOULD MEAN THAT OTHER, OBJECTIVELY BETTER-QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WOULD MISS OUT. GRATEFUL TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER ARGUMENTS YOU WOULD WISH US TO EMPLOY. IT WOULD ALSO BE USEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE ANY CASES KNOWN TO YOU COR BTC) WHERE UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS HAVE MOVED TO COMPETITOR COUNTRIES' COMPANIES. THIS IS AN ARGUMENT THE EMPLOYEES ARE BOUND TO USE, BUT WE HAVE NOT SEEN HARD EVIDENCE TO DATE.
3 =
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS ASAP.
HURD