XN000022-1992-01-09 — Page 6

|

5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1992

"IN SETTING THE NEW CEILING THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE LEVELS SET UNDER THE PREVIOUS LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEMES, THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDER-EMPLOYMENT RATES, THE NUMBER OF REPORTED VACANCIES, THE PROJECTED RATE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS. WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT A CEILING OF 25,000 IS APPROPRIATE, MR CHAN SAID.

"THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 13,800 IMPORTED WORKERS CURRENTLY WORKING IN HONG KONG. TAKING INTO ACCOUNT PROJECTED DEPARTURES, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IMPORTING A MAXIMUM OF 12,000 MORE WORKERS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS," HE ADDED.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE FURTHER IMPORTATION OF LABOUR WAS NECESSARY TO RELIEVE BOTTLENECKS IN THE LABOUR MARKET, THUS PROVIDING THE ECONOMY WITH GREATER SCOPE FOR GROWTH. LABOUR IMPORTATION CAN ALSO HELP REMOVE SOME OF THE WAGE PRESSURE IN THE LABOUR MARKET, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO RESTRAINING INFLATION.

"SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REDUCED INFLATION WILL THE INTERESTS OF EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS ALIKE," MR CHAN SAID.

BE IN

LAST

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE VACANCY SITUATION IN SEPTEMBER YEAR HAD NOT EASED SINCE JUNE OF THE SAME YEAR. LATEST STATISTICS SHOWED THAT THE VACANCY RATE WAS HIGHEST IN THE CLOTHING AND MACHINE SHOP INDUSTRIES; IN HOTELS, COMMUNICATIONS, INSURANCE, BUSINESS SERVICES, AUTOMOBILE REPAIRING, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, WELFARE INSTITUTIONS, ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES; AND IN THE WHOLESALE/RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES.

MR CHAN SAID: "THE ECONOMY DID BETTER IN 1991 THAN ORIGINALLY EXPECTED. ECONOMIC GROWTH IN 1992 IS GENERALLY EXPECTED TO BE BETTER THAN IN 1991. THE LABOUR MARKET CAN THEREFORE BE EXPECTED TO TIGHTEN AGAIN AND RELIEF WILL BE NEEDED BY BRINGING IN, ON A SELECTIVE BASIS, THE APPROPRIATE TYPES OF WORKERS FROM OVERSEAS."

"BUT THE MARKET SITUATION FLUCTUATES. WE HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TO APPLY MORE FLEXIBILITY BY NOT SETTING ANY FIXED QUOTAS INDIVIDUAL SECTORS OR OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS, BUT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PREVAILING MARKET SITUATION AT THE TIME OF GRANTING APPROVAL, HE SAID.

11

THE SCHEME WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY TO TECHNICIANS, CRAFTSMEN, SUPERVISORS AND EXPERIENCED OPERATIVES. IT DOES NOT COVER THE IMPORTATION OF WORKERS FOR THE NEW AIRPORT OR AIRPORT RELATED PROJECTS WHICH COME UNDER A SEPARATE SCHEME.

MR CHAN STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL STEP UP ITS EFFORTS TO HELP LOCAL WORKERS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH MORE TRAINING AND RETRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENHANCING RETRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR LOCAL WORKERS WILL BE ACQUIRED BY INTRODUCING A LEVY ON EMPLOYERS WHO BENEFIT FROM THE IMPORTATION SCHEME.

/THESE EMPLOYERS