By The SUN
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| Officers fom Immigration and HK Police work together in cracking down on illegal work (File) |
Agents of the Immigration Department today raided 43
residential buildings across
Seven overstayers, all females aged 27 to 64, were arrested.
A statement published in the government website warned against violating visa conditions, including staying beyond the allowed date, or taking up employment, whether paid or unpaid, on a visitor’s visa.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
“Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties, said the statement.
Also prohibited from taking up jobs are illegal immigrants, overstayers or torture claimants who are subject of a removal order, or someone denied permission to land.
The penalty in this case is higher, with the maximum fine set at $50,000 plus imprisonment of up to three years.
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“The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases,” said the statement.
The most severe penalty is imposed on employers of the visa violators. The law was recently amended, increasing the maximum fine on employers from $350,000 to $500,000; plus a jail term of up to 10 years from the previous three.
Immediate imprisonment is also prescribed for employers of those engaged in illegal work, plus the director, manager, secretary, partner, or other officers of the company concerned.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
According to the court ruling, employers must take all necessary steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting the job applicant’s HK ID cars, employers should also make enquiries to ensure the person could be lawfully employed.
Failure to take these steps prior to hiring a job applicant
who is not allowed to take up employment in
The statement said Immigration will take resolute action in combating illegal work and the high cost of “In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The Immigration Department will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
