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Warning against employing visitors
A sub-contractor of a construction company received imprisonment sentences at Western Magistracy for employing six visitors from China, an Immigration Department spokesperson said today (Wednesday).
The 37-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to six charges of being the employer of a person not lawfully employable. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment on each charge, to be run concurrently.
The six Two-way Permit visitors was each convicted of one count of taking up employment without the permission from the Director of Immigration. They were each sentenced to one-month imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.
Immigration officers took over the case from the police who raided a restaurant renovation site in Tai Po on April 13, 1997. The six visitors were found working with sand spade and moving construction debris. The sub-contractor and the visitors were then arrested for further enquiry.
Subsequent investigation showed that the six Chinese visitors arrived in Hong Kong between early March to early April. They were allowed to stay until late May to early June respectively. The sub-contractor admitted that even knowing the six were visitors to Hong Kong, he still recruited them to work. The six received free meals and gifts as rewards.
The Immigration spokesperson warned that it is an offence for anyone to employ someone who is not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is a fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
"Visitors are not allowed to take up employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration," said the spokesperson.
"Those who breach the conditions of stay are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for two years," added the spokesperson.
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