TNAG-2641-FCO40-3834-Emigration-of-skilled-labour-from-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 20

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY F C O

TELNO 589

OF 27070OZ FEBRUARY 92

RESTRICTED

HKD 341/1

117067

MDLIAN 7384

TOP COPY Q DIST?

INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING INFO ROUTINE OTTAWA, WASHINGTON, CANBERRA

2

på.

J28/2

YOUR TELNO 279:

HONG KONG EMIGRATION

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS LODGED WITH THE CANADIAN COMMISSION INDEED FELL BY 49 PER CENT IN 1991. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL MUCH INTEREST IN EMIGRATING TO CANADA, AS EVIDENCED BY THE 16 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE PRE-APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRES RECEIVED BY THE COMMISSION IN 1991. THE FALL IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS WAS PROBABLY DUE TO FEWER PEOPLE IN THE SKILLED WORKER CATEGORY BEING ABLE TO QUALIFY. THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS MADE UNDER THE FAMILY CLASS ACTUALLY ROSE BY 5 PER CENT IN 1991. HEARSAY EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS THAT RECESSION HAS DISCOURAGED EMIGRATION GENERALLY.

2. THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THE AUSTRALIAN CONSULATE FELL BY 13 PER CENT IN 1990/91 AS COMPARED WITH 1989/90. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANT VISAS ISSUED ROSE BY 23 PER CENT DURING THE SAME PERIOD AS A RESULT OF RELAXATION OF THE SELECTION CRITERIA. DESPITE THE DROP IN APPLICATIONS, EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT THE CURRENT LEVEL FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS, OWING TO A BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS TO BE PROCESSED.

3. EMIGRATION TO US IS LARGELY FAMILY-RELATED. EXCEPT FOR A SURGE IN 1989/90, THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR IMMIGRATION TO THE US HAS BEEN QUITE STABLE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. WITH A LARGE BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS TO BE DEALT WITH, THE LEVEL OF EMIGRATION TO THE US IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CONSTANT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

FORD

YYYY

1

PAGE

RESTRICTED