ние 340 // в
RECEIV
0 8 AUG 1990
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
319
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION CANBERRA
DEX
I F Lindsay Esq
SPD
FCO
war I ain,
23 July 1990
R. Is
AUSTRALIA: BUSINESS MIGRATION PROGRAMME
Ilernational Sup
tes → Mr Moms %1⁄2"
Mr Hague
до
Rijs
A tightening of the to callid "flexibility" |
the Aussie imongration pulos
I think.
Make
1. The Department of Immigration has commissioned a research organisation to establish the effectiveness of the business migration programme (BMP) by checking on BMP migrants to see if they had complied with the terms of their visas by establishing a business in Australia. The research organ- isation encountered considerable difficulty as they were unable to trace more than half of the 2403 BMP migrants who arrived in Australia between 1982 and 1987 and of the half who could be located fewer than one in 50 responded to the survey questionnaire. Only 103 were found actually to be running a business. The report commented that although
the main reason for non-response to their survey was a lack of accurate current addresses, it also appeared that substantial numbers of potential respondents were overseas. Commenting on the report, Immigration Department said that they had detected no systematic abuse of the BMP system, but the report's findings add weight to suggestions that many BMP migrants arrive, establish a home and then leave the country to pursue their original business careers. Hong Kong business migrants have been particularly singled out with this criticism in the press. Immigration Department have said that since this report, the BMP has been tightened and business migrants are now required to sign a statement saying that if they did not comply with their visa terms, their residency might be revoked. Routine follow-up surveys after 12 and 24 months has also been introduced.
Copies:
HKD, FCO
DPA Hong Kong
Yours
ever,
und
D G BLUNT
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