XN000022-1992-02-20 — Page 6

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1992

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EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA FOR LOCAL WORKERS MUST BE FAIR

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT APPROVAL TO IMPORT FOREIGN LABOUR WILL BE GIVEN ONLY TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO FIRST TAKE ON LOCAL WORKERS.

COMMENTING ON REPORTS THAT SOME EMPLOYERS HAD SET EXCESSIVELY RESTRICTIVE CRITERIA FOR LOCAL JOB APPLICANTS WHEN REGISTERING THEIR VACANCIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (LES), ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR MR ALFRED CHAN SAID THE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE REASONABLE AND RELEVANT то THE NATURE OF THE JOBS OFFERED.

"WE WILL CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE JOB SPECIFICATIONS AND

CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS IN EACH CASE TO SEE IF THEY MATCH AND WILL INCORPORATE OUR ASSESSMENT IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EMPLOYMENT VISA CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE (EVCC) FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION," MR CHAN SAID.

"IF AN EMPLOYER DELIBERATELY SETS EXCESSIVELY RESTRICTIVE

CRITERIA NOT COMMENSURATE WITH THE NATURE OF THE JOB FOR LOCAL WORKERS, OR REFUSES TO TAKE ON LOCAL WORKERS WITHOUT GOOD REASONS, HIS APPLICATION FOR QUOTA ALLOCATION UNDER THE GENERAL LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME MAY BE REJECTED BY THE EVCC," HE REMINDED.

MR CHAN STRESSED THAT UNDER THE SCHEME, EMPLOYERS WERE REQUIRED FIRST TO TAKE ON SUITABLE LOCAL WORKERS REFERRED TO THEM BY THE LES BEFORE THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR QUOTA ALLOCATION WOULD BE CONSIDERED.

THE LES HAS SO FAR RECEIVED 70,685 VACANCIES FROM UNDER THE SCHEME, AND APPLICATION FOR QUOTA ALLOCATION WILL FEBRUARY 28.

EMPLOYERS CLOSE ON

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TO MEET ON MONDAY

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON "PLANNING AND FINANCIAL CONTROL BY THE GOVERNMENT ON BUILDING THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY" ON MONDAY (FEBRUARY 24) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER. IT WILL BEGIN AT 9.30 AM.

FORD, GORDON

INVITED TO THE HEARING WILL BE CHIEF SECRETARY SIR DAVID ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO CHIEF SECRETARY MS EMMA LAU, SIR MACWHINNIE, MAJOR GENERAL GUY WATKINS, SIR 8.Y. CHƯNG, MR I.F.C. MACPHERSON, SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER MR JOHN CHAN, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER MISS CHRISTINE CHOW, MR K.Y. YEUNG, MR M. PAGLIARI, MR JOSE LEI AND DIRECTOR OF ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES MR P.J. CORSER.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO RESERVE SEATS IN THE PUBLIC GALLERY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER BY TELEPHONING 869 9492.

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