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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
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30th July 1969.
447
In answering the question to which I have already referred I said that the majority of Commonwealth countries require a visa or other equivalent document to cover entry for the purpose of residence or employment. It is now the view of this Government that the time has come for Hong Kong to follow their example. One of the principal reasons why other countries have introduced controls and restrictions on immigration is to limit the entry of unskilled workers who have nothing to contribute to the economy and who may indeed become a charge on the public revenues. The fact is that there has been in recent months a substantial build up of unskilled workers from the Commonwealth who are apparently prepared to work for very low wages, and in so far as they depreciate the standard of living of our own workers, make a negative rather than a positive contribution to our well-being.
It is proposed therefore that from a date still to be fixed, but which I will announce as soon as possible, immigrants from other Common- wealth countries and dependent territories will require a visa for entry into Hong Kong for the purposes of employment or residence.
It is the intention that the criteria to be used in deciding whether or no a given person would obtain a visa on first entry will be the same criteria as are at present applied to aliens.
Persons who possess some special skill or knowledge valuable to Hong Kong will of course be allowed entry and the importance of encouraging local investment will be kept very much in mind. There is no intention of keeping out unyone who has a contribution to make to the Colony's economy.
The new controls will not apply to tourists and visitors to the Colony including those who come here on business trips. Such visitors will be allowed to stay here for a period of up to three months without a visa.
The controls will also not apply to persons who belong to Hong Kong or to the United Kingdom, that is to say, persons holding Hong Kong passports or British passports unless they are endorsed to show that they have been issued on behalf of another British territory, Persons born, naturalized or registered as British subjects either in Hong Kong or in the United Kingdom will be able to continue to come here freely and without the need of a visa.
The new scheme will in no way affect the existing arrangements for the entry of people from China or from Mucnu. Nor will it affect in any way whatsoever the movement of Hong Kong residents holding travel documents issued by the Director of Immigration,
It is the intention that the position of Commonwealth citizens alroudy living in Hong Kong would be safeguarded.
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