TNAG-1842-FCO40-2617-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 44

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after 1997 is guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Government does not consider that any one specific factor is responsible for emigration; nor therefore that one particular change of policy can stop the outflow. But it recognizes the need to do what it can to ensure that Hong Kong remains an attractive place both to live and work in, and to return to, as well as the need to take steps to ensure that the pool of skilled and qualified people in Hong Kong is sufficient to offset losses caused by emigration. The number of new graduates produced in Hong Kong is estimated to rise from 4,330 this year to over 15,000 in 1999. A fluctuating but considerable number also graduate overseas and return to Hong Kong. Data collected by the Census and Statistics Department show that, despite the losses to emigration, the overall stock of professional, administrative and managerial personnel in the territory continues to grow year by year in both absolute and percentage terms. Efforts are being made to ensure that emigrant communities abroad are aware of the opportunities that continue to exist in Hong Kong and that any disincentives that may prevent emigrants returning to Hong Kong are minimized.