XN000022-1996-04-09 — Page 8

7.

Man jailed for employment contract scam

The Immigration Department today (Tuesday) warned that all foreign domestic helpers are only permitted to perform domestic duties for their specific employers under an approved employment contract. They are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for two years if they were found to have breached their condition of stay.

An immigration spokesman said: "Under the laws of Hong Kong, it is also an offence to furnish false information to immigration officers in obtaining visa for Hong Kong. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for 14 years. Aider and abettor are also liable to prosecution and penalty."

The warning was issued following a court case at Wan Chai District Court in which a manager of an employment agent was jailed 20 months for preparing forged employment contracts to support applications by domestic helpers for extension of stay or re-entry visa.

According to the spokesman, the defendant made use of the copies of identity cards, tax returns and residential proofs of his clients without their knowledge to help a number of Philippines domestic helpers in such applications.

Those domestic helpers involved were eager to work in Hong Kong but failed to find an employer in time to support their visa extension applications. The defendant received a reward ranged from $3,000 to over $15,000 in each arrangement.

A Filipina found working as a clerk in the defendant's company was also

prosecuted earlier.

She was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for a count of breaching her condition of stay and a count of making false representation to immigration officers, to be run concurrently.

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