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| Some of those rounded up for suspected illegal work |
Immigration officers arrested 13 suspected illegal workers and eight suspected employers in their latest anti-illegal worker operations to combat the influx of illegal renovation workers.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) operations codenamed
"Contribute" from May 6 to May 9 were made on 293 target locations, including
premises under renovation in some newly built/inhabited housing estates, all over
Hong Kong.
The arrests came as ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle were
deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and
convey the message in the housing estates.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Of the workers arrested, 11 were men and two were women,
aged 30 to 59. The eight employers were men, aged 31 to 60.
ImmD said people will be arrested for breach of condition of
stay if they are caught working in places such as these while in Hong Kong as
visitors or domestic workers, among other categories, “and upon conviction face
a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment.”
It said aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution
and penalties.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Employing people who are not lawfully employable is an even
more serious offence under the Immigration Ordinance.
“The maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who
is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the
subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person
who was refused permission to land, … (is) a fine of $500,000 and 10 years'
imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences,” ImmD said.
“The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the
company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid
down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be
given an immediate custodial sentence,” it added.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
“According to the court sentencing, employers must take all
practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to
employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the
employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and
ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the
lawful employability of the person,” it said.
The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year,” ImmD said.
