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The Immigration Department arrested 13 illegal workers and three suspected employers during a territory-wide anti-illegal workers operation codenamed "Twilight" on July 16 and 17. Thirteen illegal workers comprising 11 men and two women aged 17 to 54 were arrested. Three local employers comprising two men and one woman aged 31 to 46 were suspected of employing the illegal workers.
During the operation, Immigration officers raided 10 target locations including a recycling yard, a Chinese restaurant, clothing shops, dried seafood shops, flower shops, units under renovation and a food court. Among those illegal workers, 10 male Mainlanders were found engaging in installation of machines in an industrial flat in Tsuen Wan district and one woman was suspected of employing these illegal workers.
Eleven illegal workers were convicted to imprisonment ranging from two to 15 months yesterday (July 18) and today (July 19) respectively. One local employer was convicted to two months' imprisonment suspended for three years and fined $10,000. The remaining two illegal workers and two suspected employers are under investigation.
"Visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment," an Immigration Department spokesman said.
The spokesman also appealed to employers not to employ illegal workers, warning that it is an offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's identity card or, if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card, his or her valid travel document. The maximum penalty for failing to do so is a fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for one year. To deter unlawful employment, the High Court laid down sentencing guidelines in 2004 reaffirming that it is a serious offence to employ someone who is not legally employable, and stating that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
Ends/Saturday, July 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 13:42
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