Reasons for Emigration
25
an
a
People have been emigrating from Hong Kong for over 100 years for a variety of reasons and will no doubt continue to do
For So.
individual
there family,
may well be combination of reasons. Therefore, at least a portion of the current emigration can be ascribed to traditional reasons. major new factor is uncertainty over the future because of the reversion of sovereignty in 1997.
Possible Remedies
The
26
It is not realistic to think in terms of the Hong Kong Government taking steps to decrease the opportunities for emigration either by action at the Hong Kong end or by an approach to the main destination countries. Any such efforts would be self defeating and are not further considered.
27
A number of major companies have taken the initiative to post key staff overseas to enable them to obtain a foreign passport and then return. However, such schemes are thought to be limited in number and extent because only companies with overseas subsidiaries or associates could consider such action, and because of the expense involved. The civil service does not operate such a scheme.
to
France
shid give
The franch
28
The French Consulate-General in Hong Kong recently devised a pilot scheme to grant French citizenship to a limited number of key personnel working for French companies in Hong
take up residence in Kong without requiring them
first. A trial batch of 80
applications is now being commercial considered by the French Government and if approved, there will
wrantiye. be further batches in the future. The suggestion has been made that if the "insurance policy" could be more generally available from other countries in ways similar to those devised by France, the large growth in numbers emigrating could be held and even reversed. However, such a measure is not within the gift of the Hong Kong Government.
29 the
A number of suggestions have been made about things Government might do. These generally fall into four
categories
(a) ways in which the quality of life in Hong Kong could be improved reduce the incentive to
de part;
(b)
measures that might be taken to facilitate return to Hong Kong of emigrants who already obtained their insurance policy;
have
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