XN000022-1997-04-30 — Page 81

Reply:

(c)

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

(c)

60 -

whether it has carried out any study to examine how the occupations of the new arrivals relate to their educational levels; if so, what the details are; and whether the findings of the survey show that the educational levels of the new arrivals are incompatible with their occupations?

According to statistics provided by the Immigration Department, the total number of one-way permit holders from China who entered Hong Kong during the period of 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1997 was 263,303. As regards the number of such immigrants who are still residing in Hong Kong, the latest figure is 169,319 based on the 1996 Population By-

census.

A breakdown of the number of new immigrants from China who are in employment by occupation and level of education, which was compiled by the Census and Statistics Department on the basis of the above total number of new immigrants from the 1996 By census, is at Annex A.

We have not carried out any specific study on the relationship between the educational background and occupation of new immigrants from China. However, as revealed from the statistical breakdown at Annex A, the respective percentages of new immigrants with different educational levels employed in each of the different occupations are broadly similar to those of other local workers in the same occupations as shown in Annex B. There is therefore no evidence to suggest that compared with other local workers, the educational levels of the new immigrants from China who are in employment are incompatible with their occupations.