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The UK Government is seriously concerned about this loss of
confidence. Most people who leave Hong Kong do so reluctantly in order to acquire another citizenship or residence rights elsewhere as an assurance against a future which they feel is
uncertain. In order to stem this flow and to boost confidence
in the territory, the UK Government is making special
arrangements to grant British Citizenship (and thus right of abode in the UK) to selected people in Hong Kong who play key roles in the Territory's continuing administration and prosperity. This will give an assurance for the future without the recipients needing to leave Hong Kong. The UK Government believes that this will encourage key people to stay in the territory, to the benefit of Hong Kong as a whole.
The British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, which became law on 26 July, sets the framework for the new arrangements and enables the Home Secretary to register as British citizens up to 50,000 Hong Kong residents, together with their spouses and their minor children, who are recommended for registration by the Governor of Hong Kong. The principal beneficiaries will also, provided they remain in Hong Kong, be able to pass British citizenship to a future spouse married before these special arrangements come to an end in 1997, and, under the normal operation of British Nationality law, will be able to pass citizenship to future children. There will be no special arrangements to benefit grandchildren or other members of the
family. The Government's estimate is that the total number
of people who will acquire British Citizenship under these arrangements will not exceed 225,000.
The details of the scheme for selecting the 50,000 Hong Kong residents will be set out in subordinate legislation which will go before Parliament in Autumn 1990. Over 70% of the available places will be available for general allocation to applicants from a wide range of occupations in Hong Kong. Applications will be divided into broad occupational groups
business and management, accountancy, engineering, information sciences, medicine and science, law and education
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