XN000022-1981-01-21 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1981

IN THE CASE OF AN ABLE-BODIED UNEMPLOYED PERSON BETWEEN 15 AND 59 YEARS OF AGE THERE IS A RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT OF TWO YEARS BEFORE HE BECOMES ELIGIBLE AS AN UNEMPLOYED PERSON FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND IT IS NECESSARY FOR HIM TO HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE LES FOR A MONTH AND NOT YET IN GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

DEPARTURES OF TRANSIT VISITORS FROM CHINA *****

OF THE 17 390 HOLDERS OF PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA PASSPORTS WHO ENTERED HONG KONG IN TRANSIT TO THIRD COUNTRIES IN 1980, ABOUT 70 PER CENT (8 000 OUT OF 12 403) OF THOSE WHO ENTERED BEFORE, AND 90 PER CENT (4 500 OUT OF 4 987) OF THOSE WHO ENTERED FROM OCTOBER 23 HAVE SINCE DEPARTED.

THESE FIGURES WERE GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON F.K. HU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

ON THE POLICY GOVERNING THE GRANT OF EXTENSIONS OF STAY, MR DAVIES SAID PRIOR TO OCTOBER LAST YEAR, CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS WERE USUALLY LANDED INITIALLY FOR THREE MONTHS AND WERE GIVEN FURTHER THREE-MONTH EXTENSIONS ON APPLICATION,

→HOWEVER, IT THEN CAME TO NOTICE THAT SOME TRANSITEES HAD OVERSTAYED AFTER BEING GIVEN A NUMBER OF EXTENSIONS OF STAY AND HAD NO INTENTION OF CONTINUING THEIR JOURNEY TO THE IR COUNTRY OF DESTINATION.

+ INDEED, SOME HAD POSED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAD 'REACHED BASÉ AND OBTAINED HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS,+ MR DAVIES SAID.

HE SAID A CHANGE IN THE PRACTICE OF GRANTING EXTENSIONS BECAME NECESSARY AND URGENT AND SINCE OCTOBER 10, 1980 CHINESE PASSPORT HOLDERS WHO SATISFY THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION AS TO THE IR GENUINE INTENTION TO CONTINUE THEIR ONWARD JOURNEY ARE PERMITTED TO TRANSIT FOR 48 HOURS INITIALLY AND ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE AN UNDERTAKING TO THE EFFECT THAT THEY WILL MOVE ON AT THE EXPIRY OF STAY.

UPON REQUEST AND WHERE IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT. DESPITE THE IR INTENTION TO PROCEED OVERSEAS, URGENT FAMILY OR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE PREVENTED THEIR IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE, EXTENSIONS OF STAY FOR SEVEN DAYS AT A TIME ARE GRANTED.

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