XN000022-1994-03-11 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1994

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1,000 WORK VISAS FOR PROFESSIONALS AND MANAGERS FROM CHINA

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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) ANNOUNCED DETAILS OF PILOT SCHEME TO BE OPERATED FOR ONE YEAR, DURING WHICH 1,000 WORK VTSAS WILL BE ISSUED TO PROFESSIONALS AND MANAGERS IN CHINA FOR THEM TO COME TO WORK IN HONG KONG.

AS THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY EXPLAINED IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH MARCH 2, THE ENTRANTS UNDER THIS NEW SCHEME ARE TO MEET THE SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE WITH DEGREE-LEVEL QUALIFICATIONS AND KNOWLEDGE OF CHINA, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, MR JOHN YEUNG, SAID.

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WHICH

HE SAID THE PILOT SCHEME FOLLOWED A GOVERNMENT REVIEW CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR PEOPLE WITH CHINA EXPERIENCE.

SCHEME, TO BE OPERATED IN FOUR QUARTERLY PHASES, WILL BE TIGHTLY CONTROLLED TO PREVENT ABUSE," MR YEUNG SAID WHEN OUTLINING THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEME.

ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER WILL BE RESTRICTED TO GRADUATES OF 36 KEY TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN CHINA WITH RELEVANT WORKING EXPERIENCE.

SUCCESSFUL ENTRANTS WILL ENTER UNDER WORK VISAS AND WILL BE CAREFULLY VETTED FOR SUITABILITY FOR THE JOBS APPLIED FOR, IN JUST THE SAME WAY AS OTHER ENTRANTS APPLYING TO WORK IN HONG KONG.

AND SAID.

"THE SCHEME WILL OPERATE SEPARATELY FROM THE EXISTING ONE-WAY TWO-WAY PERMIT SYSTEMS FOR ENTRY AND VISIT FROM CHINA, MR YEUNG

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HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ENTRANTS UNDER THIS SCHEME MAY APPLY ΤΟ CHANGE JOBS, SO THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SALARIES HERE AND IN CHINA DID NOT LEAD TO THEIR EXPLOITATION. BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR FAMILIES WITH THEM.

"WE HAVE TO BE SURE THAT THE PILOT SCHEME IS NOT USED AS A WAY ROUND THE ONE-WAY PERMIT SYSTEM AND OUR TIGHT IMMIGRATION CONTROLS ON ENTRY FROM CHINA, HE SAID.

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THERE WILL BE TWO STAGES OF CHECKS UNDER THE SCHEME.

FIRST, EMPLOYERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION FOR EACH VACANCY. A NON- REFUNDABLE FEE OF $500 WILL BE PAYABLE WITH EACH APPLICATION.

IF THE DEMAND EXCEEDS THE 1,000 QUOTA, THE APPLICATIONS WILL BE DETERMINED BY BALLOT.-

THERE WILL BE FOUR BALLOTING EXERCISES, PICKING 250 APPLICATIONS EACH QUARTER. UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A CHANCE IN THE SUBSEQUENT BALLOTING EXERCISE.

IF AN EMPLOYEE APPLIES AND SUCCESSFULLY MOVES JOB, HIS EMPLOYER WHO BROUGHT HIM IN MAY SUBMIT A NEW APPLICATION FOR THE VACANCY IN THE SUBSEQUENT BALLOTING EXERCISE.

/"THE IMMIGRATION