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Joint enforcement operations codenamed "Champion" were mounted by the Immigration department, Police Force and Labour Department yesterday (July 26) in Hong Kong Island East and New Territories South to combat illegal employment activities, resulting in 21 arrests.
The operation, which began at 7.15am and ended at 8pm yesterday, resulted in the arrest of 18 illegal workers and three employers. During the operation, law enforcement officers raided 44 workplaces, including restaurants, a food refinery workshop, garbage depots, retail shops and a residential unit under decoration, and checked the proof of identity of 67 people. The illegal workers comprised four men and 14 women, aged between 20 and 54.
One man and two women, whose ages ranged from 19 to 54, were suspected to have employed illegal workers.
"Visitors are not allowed to take up employment, whether paid or unpaid, without the prior permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for two years," an Immigration Department spokesman warned.
The spokesman also appealed to employers not to employ illegal workers, warning that it was an offence to employ people who were not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years. To deter unlawful employment, the High Court laid down a sentencing guideline in 2004 reaffirming that it was a serious offence to employ someone who was not lawfully employable, and the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
The spokesman also warned that it was an offence for employers to fail to inspect a job seeker's valid travel document if the latter is not holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty is a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for one year. Persons permitted to remain as visitors or students or persons whose travel documents are endorsed with a condition of stay stating "employment is not permitted" are not lawfully employable without prior approval from the Director of Immigration.
Ends/Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:37
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