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CONFIDENTIAL
105431
MDADAN 0738
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REGULATIONS, BUT THE OFFICIAL TO WHOM WE SPOKE (WHO SHOULD NOT BE QUOTED) SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT, BEING FULLY AWARE OF THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING SKILLED PEOPLE IN THE TERRITORY, WAS FOR THE MOMENT ''UNOFFICIALLY CLOSING ITS EYES'' TO IT.
4. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS INDEED SCOPE
FOR MAKING GREATER USE OF THE PROVISION FOR EMPLOYEES OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES TO REDUCE THE PERIOD OF TIME SPENT IN AUSTRALIA DURING THEIR INITIAL THREE YEAR VISA PERIOD TO QUALIFY FOR THE FURTHER FIVE YEAR REST AND RETURN FACILITY, BY BEING POSTED
BY THEIR COMPANIES BACK TO HONG KONG EARLY IN THEIR INITIAL THREE YEAR PERIOD. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SAID THAT ACCELERATED USE WAS ALREADY BEING MADE OF THIS PROVISION.
5. WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE AUSTRALIANS WOULD OBJECT TO HMG REFERRING TO THIS PROVISION. MEANWHILE, WE WONDER IF HONG KONG COULD PERSUADE THE AUSTRALIAN CONSULATE- GENERAL TO MAKE PUBLIC THIS AND ANY OTHER SIMILAR PROVISIONS OFFERING THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFERRED RESIDENCE. STRICTLY FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION ONLY. IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ALSO TOLD US THAT THEY
HAVE BEEN EXAMINING A NARROW SCHEME UNDER EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD PROVIDE GREATER SCOPE FOR EMPLOYEES IN HONG KONG OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES TO BE GRANTED RESIDENCE WITHOUT LEAVING THE TERRITORY FOR LONG PERIODS. THE AUSTRALIAN/HONG KONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AHKCC) HAS IN PARTICULAR BEEN PRESSING FOR SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT. THIS POSSIBILITY IS CONTAINED IN THE CABINET SUBMISSION REFERRED TO IN PARA 2 OF MY TELNO 216 (NOT TO ALL), WHICH
WILL BE PUT UP AFTER A NEW GOVERNMENT IS IN PLACE HERE FOLLOWING SATURDAY'S FEDERAL ELECTIONS. IT WOULD BE BASED ON AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE AHKCC UNDER THE TRIPARTITE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS (TNA) MIGRATION CATEGORY (GENERALLY INVOLVING GOVERNMENT, EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS) WHICH PROVIDES FOR OVERSEAS RECRUITMENT OF AN AGREED NUMBER OF WORKERS IN A DEFINED SET OF OCCUPATIONS . IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT EMPHASISED THAT
NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN.
6. YOUR PARA 11: WE ARE ANXIOUS NOT TO OVERDRAW ON OUR CREDIT WITH AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS IN THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE FEDERAL ELECTION, WHEN THEY HAVE ALREADY TOLD US THAT OUR CONCERNS FOR HONG KONG WILL BE INCORPORATED IN A POST-ELECTION SUBMISSION TO CABINET, AND PROPOSE THAT THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE THE ''SECONDMENT'' IDEA WOULD BE FOR LORD BRABAZON TO FLOAT IT OVER WOOLCOTT (PUS EQUIVALENT AT DFAT) ON 23 MARCH, AND FOR US TO
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CONFIDENTIAL
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