Police today (March 1) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Airport District. A foreign woman, Yuson Elizabeth Arnoco, aged 61, went mi… read more
The Government announced today (March 1) the sale of New Kowloon Inland Lot 6639 (i.e. No. 8 Kai Fuk Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon) for converting into a quick charging station (QCS) through public tendering. The tender invitation will… read more
The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, arrived in Guangzhou this morning (March 1) to start her visit there.
Miss Mak, accompanied by the Commissioner for Youth, Mr Eric Chan, met with the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province (GDHKMAO), Ms Chen Li-wen in the morning. They exchanged views on the joint promotion of youth development in Guangdong and Hong Kong, including deepening youth exchanges between the two places. Miss Mak shared the vision and general direction of the Youth Development Blueprint released by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), as well as the latest progress of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s work in promoting youth development. She said that the HYAB will continue to work closely with the GDHKMAO to provide a favourable environment and offer comprehensive support to youth development.
In the afternoon, Miss Mak attended a sharing session regarding Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) youth innovation and entrepreneurship. Speaking at the event, she said that the HKSAR Government encourages young people in Hong Kong to seize the opportunities brought by the development of the GBA and develop a business there. The HYAB, the GDHKMAO and the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province jointly established the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Greater Bay Area in December last year. About 60 representative organisations from various sectors in Hong Kong and other cities of the GBA joined the Alliance to set up a one-stop information, publicity and communication platform.
About 50 members of the Youth Link, who are participating in exchange activities in Guangzhou, joined the sharing session. They interacted with the speakers and gathered information on living and developing careers in the GBA.
Miss Mak then visited the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province and met with its Director-General, Mr Du Minqi. They exchanged views on encouraging Hong Kong youth to start businesses in the GBA and strengthening collaboration between youth innovation and entrepreneurship bases in Guangdong and Hong Kong. Miss Mak shared the latest developments of the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area under the Youth Development Fund launched by the HYAB and the Youth Development Commission. She stated that the HYAB will continue to work closely with the Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province to promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship.
In the evening, Miss Mak and members of the Youth Link met with representatives of the Hong Kong’s chambers of commerce in Guangdong Province to learn about their living and working conditions on the Mainland. Miss Mak encouraged young people to grasp the opportunities to study, conduct exchanges and start a business on the Mainland, so as to enhance their understanding of the development of the country and contribute to the country and Hong Kong.
Miss Mak will continue her visit to Guangzhou and Foshan tomorrow (March 2), and return to Hong Kong on the same day.
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, March 1, 2024 is 105.1 (up 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Contribute”, “Lightshadow” and “Twilight” and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Champion” and “Windsand” for four consecutive days from February 26 to yesterday (February 29). A total of 15 suspected illegal workers, four suspected employers, one suspected aider and abettor and two overstayers were arrested.
During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 45 target locations including a dance studio, industrial buildings, premises under renovation, restaurants and retail shops. Fifteen suspected illegal workers, four suspected employers, and one suspected aider and abettor were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised eight men and seven women, aged 18 to 55. Among them, three women were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards. Two men and two women, aged 29 to 52, who were suspected of employing the illegal workers, were arrested. One man, aged 34, who was suspected of aiding and abetting a person who breached the condition of stay in Hong Kong, was also arrested.
During operation “Champion”, enforcement officers raided 25 target locations in Wan Chai district. Two overstayers were arrested. The arrested overstayers comprised two women, aged 40.
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. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 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.
