TNAG-2179-FCO40-3116-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 53

CONFIDENTIAL

120

106374 MDLIAN 8114

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA TELNO 5

OF 21100OZ MARCH 90

AND TO PRIORITY FCO

6

Dva 340/1 нко

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

27 MAR 1990

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

YOUR TELNO 004: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: CANADA

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

1. HIGGINBOTHAM (CANADIAN COMMISSIONER) TOLD THE POLITICAL ADVISER THAT HE WAS NOT OPTIMISTIC THAT CANADA WOULD BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE ANY NEW RIGHT OF ABODE SCHEME FOR HONG KONG EMIGRANTS, OR TO GRANT SPECIAL DEFERRED STATUS FOR TAKE-UP OF IMMIGRANT VISAS. HE HAS HOWEVER MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF PLAYING THE RULES UNDER THEIR EXISTING LEGISLATION. UNDER THE RULES, AN IMMIGRANT VISA RECIPIENT HAS TO SPEND 18 MONTHS OUT OF THREE YEARS FOLLOWING HIS OR HER ARRIVAL IN CANADA. IN PRACTICE, THOSE WHO HAVE ENTERED CAN TRAVEL IN OR OUT OF CANADA FREELY, WITH NO STAMP BEING PUT ON THEIR DOCUMENTS. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION THUS HAVE NO (NO) WAY OF CHECKING WHETHER ANYONE DOES IN FACT SPEND 18 MONTHS IN THE COUNTRY. THE CANADIANS DO NOT GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO PUBLICISE THIS POSSIBILITY BUT THEY DO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS WHICH WOULD ELICIT THE ABOVE

INFORMATION.

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

60

ΜΑΙΝ

57

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

PUSD NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

ADDITIONAL

3

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS

MS BARRETT

LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

1