ENG-2000 — Page 487

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

case to critically review the existing immigration policy to deal with the immediate problem.

The Chief Executive announced in his Policy Address in October that the existing immigration policy on the entry of professionals would be reviewed in a proactive but prudent manner to admit more quality personnel from the Mainland and abroad. In conducting the review, account would be taken of the supply and demand for professionals in the labour market. The review would be guided by Hong Kong's long-standing objective of facilitating economic development while safeguarding job opportunities for the local population. It would observe closely the principle that only those who possessed skills, knowledge or experience valuable to but not readily available in Hong Kong would be considered eligible.

Separately, as a result of a regular review on immigration policies, the Government relaxed the overseas residence requirement for eligible overseas Chinese nationals. holding a valid PRC passport to enter Hong Kong for employment from two years to one year with effect from November 1, 2000. The same relaxation applied to their family members residing overseas.

Illegal Immigration

The HKSAR vigilantly guards against the entry of Mainland illegal immigrants. The total daily average arrest figure Hong Kong-wide for 2000 was 23, a 30 per cent drop compared with 33 in 1999.

The HKSARG maintains close policy dialogues with other governments on matters relating to population movements and irregular migration. In November, Hong Kong co-hosted the Fifth Annual Plenary Meeting of the Inter-Government Asia Pacific Consultations on Refugees, Displaced Persons and Migrants with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration. Some 60 delegates from the Asia-Pacific region attended the meeting and exchanged views and experience on migrant trafficking and burden sharing. The meeting noted that Hong Kong had an effective framework to combat migrant trafficking involving the use of technology, internal co-ordination and international co-operation, and that the incidents of trafficking were reduced over the years.

Emigration

The estimated number of emigrants dropped from 19 300 in 1998 to 12 900 in 1999. The figure was 11 900 in 2000.

Personal Documentation

The processing, record keeping and production of the HKSAR passport applications. are strictly controlled by the Immigration Department. Under the HKSAR Passports Ordinance, eligibility is limited to Chinese citizens who are Hong Kong permanent residents holding permanent identity cards. The passport contains advanced anti- forgery design features.

Applications can be made either by post or in person. Those from overseas can be sent to the Immigration Department through the nearest Chinese diplomatic or consular missions. All HKSAR passports are prepared centrally by the Immigration Department in Hong Kong, for collection either locally or at the relevant Chinese

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