XN000022-1996-04-03 — Page 74

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Pilot scheme to bring in professionals from China

Following is a question by the Hon Henry Tang Ying-yen and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Under the pilot scheme to bring in 1,000 professionals from China, 688 applications for allocation of quotas have been approved and 374 employment visas issued to date. At a meeting of the LegCo Panel on Manpower held earlier this year, the Government officials concerned stated that the Immigration Department had already invited companies on the reserve list to submit applications to fill the remaining positions in the scheme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Mr President,

how many companies which are successful in their applications have subsequently withdrawn from the scheme, and what are the main reasons for their withdrawal;

whether companies on the reserve list meet the eligibility criteria for application, and if so, why; and how many applications from such companies are being processed by the relevant authority and what is the progress of these applications;

how the remaining positions in the scheme will be handled; and

whether the Government is able to ascertain from the applications received which types of professionals from China are equipped with the expertise and working experience which the territory is short of and which the territory needs most; if so, whether it will consider training up local professionals; if not, why not?

The Pilot Scheme to bring in 1,000 professionals from China is a limited extension to the existing policy on the entry of overseas professionals who possess skills, knowledge or experience of value to, but not readily available in Hong Kong. All employers wishing to apply for quotas under the pilot scheme are required to establish and substantiate their need for a particular professional from China and each application is carefully scrutinised by the Immigration Department before deciding whether it should be approved.