TNAG-2033-FCO40-2896-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1990 — Page 92

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B. NATIONAL ITY

WILL NAT IONAL ITY PACKAGE DO THE TRICK IN RESTOR ING

CONF IDENCE?

My visit to Hong Kong confirmed my view that nationality package will play essential part in restoring

confidence in territory.

CURRENT EMIGRATION FIGURES

Accoridng to Hong Kong Government statistics, estimated figures for emigration in each of the years from 1980 to

date were:

1980

22,400

1985

22,300

1981

18,300

1986

19,000

1982

20,300

1987

30,000

1983

19,800

1988

45,800

1984

22,400

1989

42,000

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These figures include heads of household and

dependants. Not possible to state how many emigrants were

heads of household.

Emigration of key personnel a particularly serious problem. About a quarter of emigrants in recent years have been professional, technical, managerial and administrative staff, although they comprise only 5.5% of the population at large.

Our nationality package is designed to deal with that

problem