The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Lightshadow", "Twilight" and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" for three consecutive days from July 11 to 13. A total of 14 suspected illegal workers and six suspected employers were arrested.

     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 59 target locations including food and beverage areas, a garbage collection depot, a logistics centre, residential buildings, restaurants and a vegetable stall. Seven suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised seven women, aged 24 to 56. Furthermore, one woman, aged 35, was suspected of employing the illegal workers and was also arrested.

     In addition, during operation "Champion", enforcement officers raided 178 target locations in Kwai Chung, Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi districts and New Territories North Region, including garbage collection depots, garages, industrial buildings, residential premises and wet markets. Seven suspected illegal workers and five suspected employers were arrested. The suspected illegal workers comprised seven men, aged 29 to 42. All of them were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. Furthermore, five men, aged 30 to 64, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.

     An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, 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. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

     The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, 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 prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment."

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. 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, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. 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.

     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. 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. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, July 15, 2022 is 101.4 (up 0.4 against yesterday's index).

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (July 15) the July 2022 issue of the "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics" (HKMDS).

     Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains two feature articles entitled "Foreign Affiliates Statistics of Hong Kong" and "Trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland of China".

"Foreign Affiliates Statistics of Hong Kong"

     With globalisation of the world economy, it is popular for multinational enterprises to provide services to customers in another economy through setting up affiliated companies abroad.

     In view of the importance of services supplied via this mode, C&SD has developed a statistical framework for compiling relevant statistics, known as "foreign affiliates statistics (FATS)". This feature article briefly describes the statistical system for compiling inward FATS, and presents selected inward FATS of Hong Kong for 2020. It is an update of similar articles on the same subject published in preceding years.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Trade in Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7410; email: tis@censtatd.gov.hk).

"Trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland of China"

     Hong Kong has maintained a close trading relationship with the mainland of China (the Mainland) for many years. In the past decade, the Mainland was Hong Kong's largest destination of total exports and supplier of imports, on average accounting for 55.6% and 46.9% of Hong Kong's total exports and imports respectively.

     This feature article analyses the performance and highlights the salient features of merchandise trade between Hong Kong and the Mainland during the period from 2012 to 2021.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 5026; email: trade@censtatd.gov.hk).

     Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1010002&scode=460).

     Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Dissemination Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email: gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hk).

     Hongkong Post announced today (July 15) that, as advised by the postal administration of Australia, mail delivery services to areas with the following postcodes previously impacted by flooding have returned to normal.
 

     â€‹A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (July 15) said that its Food Import and Export Section (Hong Kong and Kowloon Office) on the eighth floor of Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building, 123A Fa Yuen Street, has to be temporarily closed for thorough cleaning and disinfection because a staff member of the FEHD received a positive result when undergoing COVID-19 testing. Services are expected to gradually resume later this afternoon after the completion of cleaning and disinfection work.

     The staff member concerned is an assistant clerical officer of the FEHD and last performed duties yesterday (July 14). The staff member has been wearing masks and following relevant disease prevention measures at work.

     The FEHD has arranged thorough cleaning and disinfection work at relevant places in accordance with the Centre for Health Protection's advice, and will arrange for the staff concerned to undergo COVID-19 testing. Importers seeking consignment clearances at the FEHD's Food Import and Export Section (Hong Kong and Kowloon Office) may proceed to the section's other office, located on the second floor of Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building.

     The FEHD has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures during the epidemic. Staff members are reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and to stay vigilant. They should seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.