RESTRICTED
DRAFT TELEGRAM TO BRITISH EMBASSY DUBLIN & BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONS IN
OTTAWA & CANBERRA
IMMIGRATION RULES FOR HONG KONG INVESTORS
AT A RECENT MEETING WITH MR MORRISON, MINISTER OF STATE FOR INDUSTRY, SOME
REPRESENTATIVES OF REGIONAL INWARD INVESTMENT PROMOTION BODIES CLAIMED
THAT THEY WERE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN ATTRACTING TO THEIR REGIONS INVESTMENT
FROM WEALTHY HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN BECAUSE THE UK HAD A STATUTORY FIVE
YEAR RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT FOR UK CITIZENSHIP WHILE OTHER COMPETING
COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE IRISH REPUBLIC, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA WERE MUCH MORE
LIBERAL IN GRANTING PASSPORTS TO SUCH INVESTORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE
MINISTER HAS ALSO HAD A SIMILAR INQUIRY ON THIS SUBJECT FROM A MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT.
IN THE FACE OF THESE CLAIMS, WE SHOULD LIKE TO OBTAIN SOME ACCURATE
INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT. GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF ADDRESSEES COULD
ASCERTAIN WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS BROADLY ARE IN THEIR HOST COUNTRIES AND
HOW FLEXIBLY THE REGULATIONS ARE OPERATED IN PRACTICE. IN PARTICULAR,
WHETHER THERE IS ANY MINIMUM STATUTORY RESIDENCE PERIOD AND THE DEGREE OF
DISCRETION THE RESPONSIBLE MINISTER HAS, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO
GRANTING CONCESSIONS OVER ANY MINIMUM PERIOD OF RESIDENCE.
GRATEFUL FOR REPLIES BY TELEGRAM.
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