ENG-2005 — Page 498

432 | Population and Immigration

The number of visitors travelling to the HKSAR increased from 21.81 million in 2004 to 23.36 million in 2005, up 7.1 per cent. These included 12.54 million from the Mainland and 2.13 million from Taiwan.

Legal Immigration

The Mainland is the major source of the HKSAR's immigrant population. During the year, about 55 100 Mainland residents came to settle and join their families in the HKSAR under the One-way Permit Scheme, which has a daily quota of 150.

Right of Abode

Article 24 of the Basic Law provides that permanent residents of the HKSAR have the right of abode in the HKSAR and qualify to obtain, in accordance with the law of the region, permanent identity cards which state their right of abode.

Certificate of Entitlement Scheme

Under Article 24(2)(3) of the Basic Law, persons of Chinese nationality born outside Hong Kong of Hong Kong permanent residents shall be permanent residents of the HKSAR and enjoy the right of abode. The Immigration Ordinance stipulates that in order for a person to qualify for the right of abode under Article 24(2)(3) of the Basic Law, at least one of his or her natural parents must be a Chinese citizen who has the right of abode at the time of birth of that person. The Government introduced the Certificate of Entitlement Scheme on July 10, 1997, under which a person's status as a permanent resident of the HKSAR under Article 24(2)(3) of the Basic Law can be established only by holding a valid travel document (e.g. a One-way Permit) with a valid certificate of entitlement affixed to it. This arrangement enables systematic verification of right of abode claims and ensures orderly entry. Between July 1, 1997 and the end of 2005, some 163 600 certificate of entitlement holders entered Hong Kong from the Mainland.

Entry for Employment

Hong Kong maintains an open and liberal policy towards entry for employment. Foreigners who possess special skills, knowledge or experience of value to and not readily available in Hong Kong, or who are in a position to make substantial contributions to its economy are welcome to come and work. These people, after having ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years and having taken Hong Kong as their place of permanent residence, may apply to become Hong Kong permanent residents in accordance with the law. During the year, 21 119 professionals and persons with technical, administrative or managerial skills from more than 100 countries/territories were admitted for employment.

Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals

The Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals was implemented in July 2003, replacing the Admission of Talents Scheme and the Admission of Mainland Professionals Scheme. The conditions for admitting Mainland residents and foreigners for employment were basically aligned at the start of the new scheme. The objective of the scheme is to attract talented people and professionals from the Mainland to work in Hong Kong to meet local manpower needs, facilitate local