For information
on 20 September 1999

LegCo Manpower Panel
(meeting on 20.9.1999)

Surveys on New Arrivals from the Mainland

At the March Panel meeting, Members requested the Administration to provide survey information conducted by government departments on new arrivals from the Mainland with regard to their socio-economic characteristics such as their employment situation, educational and skill levels etc.

2. We have consulted various departments and have obtained the following information -

  1. All one-way permit holders are requested by the Immigration Department to complete a questionnaire on their socio-economic characteristics upon their first arrival at Lo Wu Control Point. A detailed analysis of data collected from one-way permit holders who entered Hong Kong during 1990-96 was published by the Census and Statistics Department in January 1998 in the feature article "The Characteristics of Persons from the Mainland having resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 years" in the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics at Annex A. The updated information of the salient features of the one-way permit holders covering the period from January - June 1999 are now produced in Annex B.

  2. The socio-economic characteristics of persons from the Mainland who had resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 years can be studied by using the results of the 1996 Population By-census. Detailed analysis on these persons' educational attainment, economic activity status (whether economically active or economically inactive), industry, occupation, monthly income from main employment, type of housing and district of residence was also given in the feature article mentioned in (a) above.

  3. A special topic enquiry on new arrivals was conducted by the Census and Statistics Department through the General Household Survey conducted during the period from October 1996-January 1997. In addition to general socio-economic statistics such as educational attainment and economic activity status, data was also obtained on the new arrivals' need for assistance and their awareness of services available to them. A report on this survey "Need for and awareness of social services in respect of persons from the Mainland of China having resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 years" was contained in the Special Topics Report No. 16 published by the Census and Statistics Department. A copy of the report is provided at Annex C.

  4. The Home Affairs Department has been conducting a regular survey on new arrivals since February 1996 to assess their problems and needs. The survey covers new arrivals aged 11 or above who have arrived at Hong Kong for not more than one year. The data collected include information on their educational attainment and monthly family income. A report on the survey conducted in April-September 1998 is at Annex D.

  5. The Local Employment Service (LES) of the Labour Department provides employment services to both local job-seekers and new arrivals. The report at Annex E introduces the Department's employment services for new arrivals and provides a set of statistical findings on the profile of new arrivals obtaining employment assistance from the Department during the period January - July 1999. Statistics compiled cover their educational attainment, preferred occupation, as well as pattern of placements by occupation and by salary range, etc.
3. In addition to the above existing sources of survey, more up to date survey results will be available in the next few months. They include the following :
  1. The Home Affairs Department is now compiling the report on their regular survey on new arrivals for the period October 1998 to March 1999. The survey questionnaire for October 1998 to March 1999 has been revised to include employment data of the new arrivals such as their present occupation and past occupation in the Mainland.

  2. The Census and Statistics Department is now conducting a special topic enquiry through the General Household Survey to collect information on new arrivals from the Mainland. Based on the survey results, some socio-economic characteristics of employed new arrivals, including their age, sex, educational attainment, industry, occupation, hours of work and monthly employment earnings, would be analysed. Results of the enquiry (covering the period July-September 1999) are expected to be available in December 1999.
We will keep Members informed about the results of these surveys.

Education and Manpower Bureau
September 1999