Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Multicultural Canada; University of Toronto Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/canadahongkongup113join s. CANADA AND HONG KONG UPDATE SPRING 1990 Introducing the Research Project: Goals and Directions traditional pattern of start-at-the- Material for the updates is by Diana Lary bottom migration. The growth provided by a number of Toronto in the size and sophistication of correspondents in Canada, the the Chinese Canadian community United States, Hong Kong, China Hong Kong is becoming is also likely to have an impact and the United Kingdom. The increasingly significant for on our relations with China as project will also sponsor a series Canada. During the last decade, this group of people makes its of academic workshops, trade with China, for which voice heard; in last year's coordinated by Canadian Hong Kong is the major demonstrations over the Chinese researchers, which will produce entrepot, has increased. The student movement and the short, readable publications on desire to leave Hong Kong Peking Massacre, the Chinese specialised topics. The overall before the territory's return to Canadian community played a intention of the project is to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 has leading role. On another plane, provide objective, consistent made Canada an ever more the unprecedented return of information which may be useful important immigration millions of people to an in ensuring that Canadian destination. In 1989, 19,994 authoritarian government raises involvement with Hong Kong people landed in Canada from concerns over citizenship, human develops as smoothly and as Hong Kong, almost half the rights and legal issues in Hong beneficially as possible. people who left the territory; Kong. These will assume References to materials on all similar figures are expected for considerable importance both in aspects of the Canada-Hong the foreseeable future. Canada's light of Canada's traditional Kong relations are being long involvement and fascination concern for such issues, and the collected from many Canadian, with China has been reflected in large numbers of people here American, British and Hong the academic world by serious with close personal connections Kong sources to be stored in a study of the country and our to Hong Kong. bibliographic database in the relationship with it. This study These issues require serious, project office. has focused on China as a objective academic study, whole, with very little attention especially in a climate which is to Hong Kong as a discrete sometimes overheated. The territory. Though the territory unfolding situation also needs to has always been predominantly be monitored regularly, in order In This Issue... Chinese, recent developments to analyse it in terms of mean that it must now be treated Canadian interests, and to Visa Students in Ontario as a distinct entity. provide a running record of a Immigration from Hong Kong fluid situation. This is the first Immigration Statistics is having a major impact on of the project's tri-annual updates Canada. There are significant on Hong Kong and Canada, Democratization in Hong Kong settlement issues, as a large, well which will cover some topics qualified and relatively affluent (viz immigration, trade, The Basic Law Explicated group of immigrants comes in; settlement) at regular intervals, this is a change from the and others as they arise. per F1029.5 H6 C36 Immigration Statistics by Diana Lary Toronto Over the past two years, the number of immigration applications received at the Canadian Commission in Hong Kong has risen steeply, from 15,334 in 1988 to 29,584 in 1989. The unsetUing effect of the Tiananmen Massacre in Peking on June 4th, 1989 on Hong Kong shows up clearly: Quarter 1997 increased. Nevertheless, given CANADA AND HONG KONG UPDATE and Emigration in Hong Kong the present immigration Editors Diana Lory regulations of major host Stephanie Gould countries and the time required by Lau Siu-kai and Wan Po-san to process applications, the Illustration Joe Burdzy Hong Kong number of people leaving the territory in the next two or three Design Stephanie Gould The increasing exodus years is expected to be between Contributors Philip Calvert 55,000 and 60,000 a year. Ho-yin Cheung Despite the promise of the In the meantime, emigration- Harriet Clompus Chinese Government and linked investment companies and Keung-sing Ho constitutional measures designed Tan Xiaobing schemes are increasing and to maintain the existing social Chow Ying Wong creating a growing passport structure and lifestyles of Hong market for those who are Canada and Hong Kong Update is Kong under the formula "one published three desperate to get a second times a year by the country, two systems" for fifty passport but cannot meet the years after 1997, the scheduled Canada and Hong Kong Project, selection criteria of major host Joint Centre Asia Studies, return of Hong Kong to China for Pacific countries. Many second-rung Suite 200K, Administrative Studies Bldg. has driven an increasing number countries have joined in to cash York University, 4700 Keele St., of Hong Kong people to obtain a North York, Ontario, in on the capital and brain drain foreign passport or right of CANADA M3J 1P3 from the territory. Some (e.g. abode in a foreign country. Singapore and South Africa) Telephone: (416) 736-5784 From 1980 to 1986, people have eased their migration Fax: (416) 736-5687 emigrated at around 20,000 a regulations to lure capital and year. The annual outflow of professionals and skilled workers, CANADA AND HONG KONG PROJECT emigrants rose to approximately while others (e.g. Tonga and 30,000 in 1987 and 46,000 in Belize) are simply "selling" Director Diana Lary 1988. The most popular Coordinator Stephanie Gould passports. Anticipating the setup destination countries are Canada, of the common market of the the United States of America and Advisory Board Denise Chong European Economic Community Eh. Bernie Frolic Australia in 1992, the latest trend in the John Higginbolham Dr. T.G. McGee passport market is to buy Graeme McDonald property in Portugal and Spain 1987 1988 Jules Nadeau and then apply for residency. Dr. William Saywell Total 22.300 19.000 30.000 45300 Dr. Wang Gungwu Canada 7380 5.893 16.170 22.802 Australia* 4.610 4.940 6.420 9^30 The international safety net L'iA." 8.530 7.473 8.517 11,394 We want to thank the Donner Canadian Source: Hong ' Foundation for its very generous support Kong Government task force on The rising trend to emigration 9 September 1989; Nia Uagaau. 15 1990. which has made this project possible. The Much has a potentially catastrophic Foundation's long-standing interest in 'Number of migrants residing in Australia. impact on the Canada's international relations with Asia "By March, the Hong Kong backlog amounted to prosperity and nearly 50,000 If any of the reform billi before the has enabled us to conduct research which we stability of the territory and has United Stares Congress can be legislated, the outflow consider to great be of significance for the of Hong Kong people to the States will increase become one of the major social future the country. accordingly. of concerns. On the one hand, owing to the immigration In view of Hong Kong's return policies of the host countries, the to Chinese sovereignty after majority of emigrants are either 1997, people are watching the the well-off (who are usually sociopolitical situation of the qualified to emigrate by investing mainland and the words and no less than CS 150,000 in the In the Next Issue... deeds of the Chinese political host country), or key personnel leaders closely. The June 4 in the labour force (who can Status Dislocation for Immigrants Tiananmen Square massacre, the meet the visa criteria of subsequent political crackdown independent migrants and who Interview with Author Sky Lee on the pro-democracy movement are mainly highly educated, and the tough economic austerity young, professional, technical, Torontians Responses to Tiananmen programme in China, and the managerial and administrative promulgation of the final draft of workers). In 1988, the capital the Basic Law have significantly outflow to Canada alone depressed Hong Kong people's amounted to CS2.4 billion. confidence in the territory's Degree holders made up 15% of future. The number of people the emigrants while only 3.5% of inquiring and applying for the population had this level of emigration visas has drastically UPDATE 3 1997 and Emigration prevailing viewpoints. In the thereby constructing an From page 3 first place, a healthy economy is international safety net for Hong regarded as the key to the future Kong people should needs arise. educational attainment. Of all of Hong Kong. As a result, the In this connection, the changes employed emigrants, 33.6% were rationale adopted by the to the Singaporean immigration professional and technical lobbyists, especially the business policy made last July are a workers, 16.2% were leaders and overseas Chambers significant breakthrough. Right administrative and managerial of Commerce, is generally based of abode will be granted to workers, as compared to 7.4% on the bilateral economic / 25,000 Hong Kong skilled and 3.8% respectively of the interests between the destination workers. Successful applicants labour force was in these country and the territory. The have up to five years to relocate occupational categories. Surveys anxiety, helplessness and the in Singapore. By February, of professional associations future of the general public are 20,038 people had applied and published in the past few months deemed to be of less significance 16,691 applications have been illustrated further the seriousness than the maintenance of approved.