TNAG-2180-FCO40-3117-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 102

CONFIDENTIAL

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UP TO 25,000 HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD. THIS HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS.

5.

AS FAR AS OUR EC PARTNERS ARE CONCERNED, THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT ARE IMPLEMENTING A SCHEME TO PROVIDE PASSPORTS OR RIGHT OF ENTRY TO TO 1280 EMPLOYEES OF FRENCH COMPANIES AND THEIR

GERMANY, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG ARE ABOUT TO FINALISE SCHEMES OF BROADLY THE SAME NATURE. A NUMBER OF OTHER EC COUNTRIES ARE ACTIVELY CONSIDERING WHAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP.

6.

THOSE COUNTRIES WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE MAIN EMIGRATION DESTINATIONS FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE, NAMELY THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND AUSTRALIA, CLEARLY HAVE A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY. IT WAS THEREFORE VERY GRATIFYING TO LEARN THAT CONGRESSMAN FRANKS- (A MEMBER OF THE US IMMIGRATION SUB-COMMITTEE HAS PROPOSED AN AMENDMENT TO THE DRAFT IMMIGRATION BILL INCREASING THE IMMIGRANT QUOTA FROM HONG KONG TO 20,000 PER ANNUM, WHILE INCLUDING A PROVISION THAT BENEFICIARIES MAY DEFER SETTLEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES UNTIL THE YEAR 2002. THERE IS OF CAUSE SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE THIS COULD BECOME LAW BUT THIS IS AN IMAGINATIVE PROPOSAL WHICH WE WELCOME: IT IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF MEASURE THAT WOULD

HELP HONG KONG.

7. AS FAR AS AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION RULES ARE CONCERNED, FLEXIBILITY EXISTS TO ALLOW THOSE GRANTED MIGRANT STATUS TO TRAVEL WIDELY DURING THE FIRST THREE YEARS AFTER THEIR ARRIVAL: AND IN SOME CASES TO LIVE OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA THEREAFTER WITHOUT PREJUDICING THEIR MIGRANT OR RESIDENCY STATUS.

8. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAVE WELCOMED AND SUPPORT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG THROUGH THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE. THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THAT FLEXIBILITY ALSO EXISTS IN CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS. WE HOPE THAT SUCH FLEXIBILITY WILL BE EXCERCISED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT TO ENABLE BENEFICIARIES IN HONG KONG TO REMAIN IN HONG KONG, SO THAT THEY CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE TERRITORY.

9.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE NUMBERS WHO MIGHT BENEFIT IF ALL THE SCHEMES CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION WERE TO COME TO FRUITION, BUT THEY COULD ADD UP TO SIGNIFICANT TOTALS FROM AROUND 30,000 AT THE MOST CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE UP TO PERHAPS 200,000 OR MORE (IF THE US PROPOSALS BECOME LAW).

ENDS.

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