- 9.
SEM on Immigration (Amendment) Bill 1993
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Michael Leung, at the resumption of second reading debate on the Hon Michael Ho's Immigration (Amendment) Bill 1993 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
The Private Member's Bill to amend the powers exercised by the Director of Immigration under the Immigration Ordinance strikes at the very heart of our importation of labour schemes, two schemes which are of vital importance to HK. Let me explain.
But first, contrary to what one member has just alleged, the Government has a sound labour policy which has stood the test of time. This is to ensure that, on the one hand, there is a stable and well-motivated workforce to support economic growth, and on the other hand, Hong Kong can maintain a level of labour standards broadly comparable with those of its neighbouring territories at a similar level of economic development and with a similar socio-cultural background.
Underpinned by sustained economic growth, ever-increasing economic links with China and rapid expansion in our service sectors, we have the good fortune of having near full employment for our workforce in recent years. The latest unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, was 2.0% for the quarter ending December 1994. This compares with 2.3% for the previous quarter ending September 1994 and 2.0% for the same quarter in 1993. The unemployment rate has been at this low level since 1987. These statistics indicate that the overall labour market situation continues to remain tight.
To ease the constraints that a tight labour market has on our economic growth, the Government allows, as a matter of policy, foreign nationals to enter Hong Kong for employment subject to various conditions. Apart from overseas professionals and Foreign Domestic Helpers, we have in place a General Importation of Labour Scheme which permits the orderly importation of workers at technician, supervisor, craftsman and experienced operative levels up to a total of 25,000 to work in Hong Kong at any one time. Under a separate scheme for importation of workers for the new airport and related projects, we also allow up to a total of 17,000 workers to enter for employment in Hong Kong. At the peak of the various construction projects next year, up to 27,000 workers will be allowed to be imported.