XN000022-1990-06-01 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1990

"THIS WILL ENABLE MY STAFF TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO CONTACT THE LOCAL SPONSOR BY PHONE AND ΤΟ EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING OF THE APPLICATION, PROVIDED THAT THE SPONSOR IS ABLE TO SUPPLY THE NECESSARY INFORMATION QUICKLY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE A VISA WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME," HE SAID.

MR LEUNG POINTED OUT THAT IN VERY EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, ARRANGEMENTS COULD ALSO BE MADE FOR A VISA TO BE ISSUED ON APPLICATION IF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WAS PROVIDED WITH THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IN ADVANCE FOR EARLY PROCESSING.

HE APPEALED TO EMPLOYERS WHO HAD A GENUINE NEED TO RECRUIT FROM OVERSEAS TO APPROACH THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IF THEY HAD ANY DOUBT ON WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

INFORMATION PAMPHLETS ON THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE DEPARTMENT'S INFORMATION OFFICE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER II AND FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY TELEPHONING THE OFFICE AT 824 6111.

"STREAMLINING OF PROCEDURES IS AN ON-GOING EXERCISE IN THE DEPARTMENT. DESPITE VERY CONSIDERABLE RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, RVER-INCREASING WORKLOAD AND NEW COMMITMENTS, WE WILL TRY OUR VERY BEST TO MAINTAIN AND IMRPOVE OUR SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

"IN THIS CONNECTION, I WOULD INVITE ANY EMPLOYER WHO ENCOUNTERS DIFFICULTY IN HIS DEALINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENT ΤΟ WRITE ΤΟ ME PERSONALLY, MR LEUNG SAID.

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MR LEUNG SAID THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT POLICY ON ENTRY FOR EMPLOYMENT WERE TO PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG AND, AT THE SAME TIME, TO PROTECT THE LOCAL WORKFORCE FROM UNFAIR COMPETITION.

THE DIRECTOR SAID IN APPLYING THIS POLICY, THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TOOK ACCOUNT OF WHETHER THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF SUCH SKILLS IN HONG KONG; WHETHER THE APPLICANT'S SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE WAS RELEVANT TO THE POSITION OFFERED AND WHETHER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT WERE COMPARABLE ΤΟ THOSE OFFERED то LOCAL EMPLOYEES TAKING THE SAME OR SIMILAR KINDS OF JOBS.

IN ADDITION, CONSIDERATION WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN AS TO WHETHER THE EMPLOYING COMPANY HAD TAKEN ANY POSITIVE STEPS TO RECRUIT LOCALLY, AND WHETHER THE ACTIVITIES OF THE APPLICANT AND THE EMPLOYER WERE BENEFICIAL TO HONG KONG AS A WHOLE, HE ADDED.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE DEMANDS ARISING FROM A TIGHT LABOUR MARKET AND AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND MANAGERIAL SKILLS, AND HAD DEVELOPED A RANGE OF STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.

IN STRESSING THAT HIS DEPARTMENT HAD ALWAYS APPLIED ITS POLICY ON ENTRY FOR EMPLOYMENT FLEXIBLY, HE SAID THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, OVERSEAS ORGANISATIONS ESTABLISHING BUSINESS IN HONG KONG WERE NORMALLY ALLOWED TO BRING IN A NUCLEUS OF STAFF IN THE SENIOR POSITIONS.

/"APPLICATIONS FOR