TNAG-1482-FCO40-2036-Economic-and-commercial-value-of-Hong-Kong-to-the-UK-1986 — Page 97

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Department of Employment

Caxton House Tothill Street London SW1H 9NF

Telephone Direct Line 01-213.

Switchboard 01-213 3000

5949

PAYMASTER

GENERAL

Our Ref: PO 23084

Martin M Brandon Bravo Esq MP House of Commons

LONDON SW1A OAA

19 December 1985

Da Mutia

Thank you for copying to my Department your letter of

25 October to David Waddington enclosing one from Mr L A Coppel, the Managing Director of Singer and Friedlander about the opportunities for Hong Kong businessmen to gain residence in this country.

As you may know, the entry and stay of overseas nationals in this country is controlled by the Home Office under the 1971 Immigration Act. It is for that Department to decide who may be permitted to remain in this country in whatever capacity and what conditions, if any, should be attached to their stay. Therefore the circumstances by which someone can come here, with his family, to set up a business is a matter for David Waddington. Anyone wishing to take employment, however, must normally have the prior permission of my Department under the work permit scheme and this would apply to any senior executives whom businessmen may wish to bring with them to help run their companies.

The intention of the work permit scheme is to protect employment opportunities for the resident work force by restricting the issue of permits to overseas nationals whose presence here is absolutely essential. Permits are issued only for employment at a high level of professional attainment, technical skill or administrative responsibility. Naturally my Department welcomes the employment opportunities for our own nationals created by the establishment here of companies from overseas. We also fully accept the need for such companies to bring to this country a small number of foreign nationals in the top management positions or in posts requiring special expertise. When assessing applications relating to new companies we of course take into account the extent to which the presence here of overseas nationals will provide employment for our own workers and we would wish to be as helpful as possible in cases where there is a significant job creation element.

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