XN000022-1996-01-10 — Page 3

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Revision of fines for immigration offences

Fines for immigration offences, including illegal employment, will be revised from Friday (January 12), a government spokesman announced today (Wednesday).

Fines for offences arising from registration of births, deaths and marriages, and registration of persons will also be revised from that date.

For crimes against illegal employment, the spokesman said the maximum fine for employing a person not lawfully employable would be increased from the current $250,000 to $350,000 and for remaining unlawfully, from $10,000 to $25,000. "These fines were last reviewed in 1990," he said.

The maximum fine for an employer who fails to inspect proof of identity will be raised from $50,000 to $150,000, and for breach of condition of stay, from $5,000 to $50,000.

"The fines for the above two offences were last reviewed in 1980 and 1972 respectively," the spokesman said.

He said all fines not exceeding $100,000 would be converted into a standard scale of six levels in accordance with the Criminal Procedure (Amendment)(No 2) Ordinance 1994 enacted in July 1994.

"In addition, the maximum fines have been adjusted to take account of the inflation rate since the fines were last reviewed," he said.

"By revising the fines to catch up with the rate of inflation, the deterrent effect can be maintained," the spokesman explained.

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