TNAG-2190-FCO40-3127-Hong-Kong-nationality-package-1990 — Page 162

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APPROVED SECONDMENTS SCHEME

Suggested outline.

CONFIDENTIAL

GENERAL

1. Participants in the scheme ("secondees") will be nominated by sponsoring organisations ("sponsors"). Individuals will not be able to apply in their own right. After the appropriate period of residence in the UK { "the qualifying period"), and subject to certain conditions, secondees and any dependants meeting the criteria of the main scheme will be registered as British citizens.

ELIGIBILITY

2.

The scheme will be open to existing BDTCS and BN(0)s resident in Hong Kong; other British nationals who are entitled to re-admission or who have applied for naturalisation as BDTCs by the "given date" and resident C of I holders who have applied for naturalisation by the given date. Nominated secondees under the scheme must be existing employees of the sponsoring organisations.

TIME FRAME

3. The scheme will be given initial publicity in Hong Kong following enactment of the necessary legislation. Once the secondary legislation has been completed, organisations will be invited to apply for places on the scheme (see below). Organisations whose applications are successful will be able to use the places as they wish, within criteria laid down by HMG.

4. Places will be allocated and secondees accepted on the scheme no later than 1 January 1992. For any secondees accepted before that date, the five year period will commence from the date of acceptance on the scheme. The scheme will end on 31 December 1996. The qualifying period to be spent in the UK will be a minimum of 24 months (unless the SofS decides otherwise in the particular circumstances of individual cases) to be broken down over the five year period at the discretion of the sponsor. Secondees will return to Hong Kong at the end of the scheme.

The balance of the five year period, apart from reasonable and necessary absences elsewhere on business, will be spent in Hong Kong.

ALLOCATION OF PLACES

6.

A maximum allocation of places for the scheme will be decided in advance.

ADMINISTRATION

7. Full details are annexed. In brief, potential sponsors will apply to the IND, either directly or through HKG for an allocation of places; HKG will advise IND on Hong Kong based sponsors' bona fides and role in the Hong Kong economy and administration; IND will approve the sponsors on the Sofs's behalf.

8. In the event that the total number of places requested by sponsors exceeding the maximum number available under the scheme, allocation will be decided by IND. If demand is less than the number of places available, the

CONFIDENTIAL

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