ENG-1998 — Page 494

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

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The department has implemented a long-term information systems strategy through the application of advanced technology. Immigration officers pay regular visits overseas to maintain close liaison with their counterparts abroad.

Immigration Control

The HKSAR has a very liberal visa policy for visitors. People from more than 170 countries and territories may come to the HKSAR visa-free for visits ranging from seven days to six months. Passenger traffic grew in 1998, with 115.5 million people moving in and out of the HKSAR, up 9.4 per cent from the 105.5 million in 1997.

The growth was attributable to heavy cross-boundary traffic over land after the reunification on July 1, 1997. In all, 77 million land passengers and 9.6 million vehicular movements were recorded for 1998, an increase of 18.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent over the 1997 figures-64.9 million and 9.5 million, respectively.

However, the number of visitors travelling to the HKSAR fell from 10.4 million in 1997 to 9.6 million in 1998, down 8 per cent. These included 2.6 million from the Mainland and 1.8 million from Taiwan.

Legal Immigration

Mainland China is the major source of the HKSAR's immigrant population. In 1998, 56 039 mainland residents came to settle in the HKSAR under the One-way Permit Scheme with a daily quota. Most of them came to Hong Kong for family reunion purposes.

Illegal Immigration

The HKSAR remains vulnerable to the entry of mainland illegal immigrants. The daily average arrest figure for 1998 was 40, an 18.4 per cent drop compared with 49 in 1997.

Most illegal immigrants came to the HKSAR for job seeking. Frequent checks were conducted on construction sites, factories and other places of employment. Illegal immigrants found working were prosecuted before repatriation. Their employers were also prosecuted. Immediate custodial sentences were imposed on the employers and the illegal workers.

Emigration

The estimated number of emigrants dropped from 40 300 in 1996 to 30 900 in 1997. The figure was 19 300 in 1998.

Personal Documentation

HKSAR passports are issued to Chinese citizens who have the right of abode in the HKSAR and who hold Hong Kong permanent identity cards. During 1998, 431 982 HKSAR passports were issued.

Applications for HKSAR passports may be submitted either by post or in person. Persons residing outside Hong Kong should submit their applications to the local Chinese diplomatic or consular mission for onward transmission to the HKSAR Immigration Department. Prepared passports will be despatched to the Chinese