29th January 1990
The Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher FRS MP
10 Downing Street
London
SW1
COATS
W
VIYHLIA
Coats Viyella Pic
28 Savile Row
London W1X 2DD
Telephone 01-734 5321
Telex 21232
Facsimile 01437 2016
こ
Over the past few years I have approached, with little success, various Secretaries of State in order to seek to persuade them that we, as a nation, are missing repeated opportunities to acquire new intakes of entrepreneurial skills.
Recently I travelled to New York with Sir Hector Laing and, following a conversation on this subject, he suggested that I put my view direct to you.
Whenever there is
mass movement of people in which the United Kingdom, through its recognition of international
of international obligations, becomes involved, those concerned with selection of candidates for settlement here, in my view for misplaced humanitarian reasons, are reluctant to seek out entrepreneurs and the like who could contribute their skills to their country of adoption and, incidentally, would be more likely to settle in quickly to their new surroundings.
was
If I may give you an example. From my own knowledge, such a chance missed following the events in Iran in 1979, and this was brought home to
to me very forcefully on my recent visit when I witnessed at first hand the contribution the immigrants, Jew and non-jew, from Iran are making in the US where,
the US where, in California alone, over one thousand new manufacturing businesses have been created by the newcomers, in turn, creating thousands of new jobs for the resident workforce. This does not, of course, diminish what some of those who admitted here achieved but it makes me wonder what we missed by
not selecting and admitting more of them!
Some time ago, the Governor of California claimed that the most significant feature of his State during the last decade had been the coming of immigrants from Iran.
I understand that before the Revolution in Iran the US Embassy in Tehran was freely issuing four year work visas to whoever had the qualification or entrepreneurial record in Iran. After the Revolution the Embassies around the world followed the same policy.
Prior to the
the Revolution, Iranian passport holders did not require visas for the United Kingdom. Mujahadin and opponents of the Shah's regime were generously admitted as refugees ard almost inevitably became a charge on social benefits while businessmen or professionals (who could have contributed far more to the country's economy) were subject to the most stringent requirements of the Immigration Rules. Most failed to meet these and went elsewhere.
continued
Repstered OXY
Bank House Charkiete Servet Manchester MI HET
Registered in England No 109OUR
Gine sa Pr
155 80 Vanken! Street. Oligon
SPA
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.