THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 1987
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DIFFICULT TO FIND JOB
IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ΤΟ FIND EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG EVEN IF THEY HAVE MANAGED TO SNEAK INTO THE TERRITORY, THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR KEN WOODHOUSE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
MR WOODHOUSE SAID JOINT OPERATIONS BY THE IMMIGRATION AND LABOUR DEPARTMENTS AND THE POLICE WERE MOUNTED REGULARLY AGAINST PEOPLE WORKING ILLEGALLY IN HONG KONG, INCLUDING THOSE ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND FISH FARMS.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY STATION AFTER OVERSEEING THE LOADING OF THE THIRD CONSIGNMENT OF RELIEF SUPPLIES FOR VICTIMS OF THE FOREST FIRE DISASTER IN HEILONGJIANG, MR WOODHOUSE SAID: "THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT WE DO PICK UP IS THAT FEW OF THEM WORK FOR MORE THAN A WEEK OR TWO."
HE WARNED THAT IT WAS A CRIME TO EMPLOY ANY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.
THE OFFENCE CARRIES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF A $50,000 FINE AND UP TO ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.
MR WOODHOUSE SAID THE LARGE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT BY THE SECURITY FORCES AT THE BORDER WAS INDICATIVE OF QUITE A SUCCESS RATE.
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO MONITORED VERY CLOSELY THE "EVASION RATE" WHICH MR WOODHOUSE SAID WAS "REMAINING RELATIVELY CONSTANT"
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"AND THAT SUGGESTS TO US THAT WE ARE SIMPLY BEING MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL AT THE FRONTLINE 1N CAPTURING THOSE THAT ARE COMING ACROSS".
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ASKED ABOUT A SHIFT IN THE ORIGINS OF THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, MR WOODHOUSE SAID IT WAS PART OF A "SEASONAL FLUCTUATION THAT WE EXPERIENCED"
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