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GV Crowds outside building in Kampala (2 shots)
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TV Asians queue outside building
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SV INT. People receive papers
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SV Canadian talks to Asians
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SV Asian couple filling in forms (2 shots)
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LV Asians receive papers PAN TO large queue in hall
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SV People at doorway
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GV PAN EXT. Large queue along pavement
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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Canadian immigration officials distribute application forms for more than 6,000 Asians to apply to settle in Canada during their first day of processing potential immigrants in Kampala on Wednesday (6 September).

Under Canada's so-called "points system", prospective immigrants are assessed on the basis of age, educational and occupational qualifications, fluency in English and French, and personal suitability. The Canadian immigrants team reviewing applications consists of four immigration officers, two doctors and four support staff.

According to Zavie Levine, special assistant to Canada's Minister of manpower and Immigration, Bryce Mackasey, Canada has fixed no upper limit to the number of Asian immigrants it will accept from Uganda. Uganda's leader, General Amin, announced last month that all the 40-50,000 non-citizen Asians in Uganda would have to leave the country by November 7. The majority of them are British passport-holders.

SYNOPSIS: Thousands of Asians queued in Kampala on Wednesday to receive application forms to apply to settle in Canada. Uganda's leader, General Amin, last month announced that all the forty to fifty-thousand non-citizen Asians must leave Uganda.

Although the majority are British passport-holders -- and many of them are expected to go to Britain -- the Canadian government has said they would accept some of the Asians. In order to process applications, a Canadian immigration team has set up an office in Kampala. Under Canada's so-called "points system", prospective immigrants are assessed on the basis of age, educational and occupational qualifications, fluency in English and French, and personal suitability. Canadian immigration officials in Kampala say that Canada has fixed no upper limit to the number of Asian immigrants it will accept from Uganda.

On the first day of processing potential immigrants, the ten-man Canadian team distributed application forms for more than six-thousand Asians. Most of those queuing on Wednesday were young, and many said they had university degrees or similar qualifications. Following completion of necessary forms, each family is interviewed by one of the Canadian immigration staff.