Hong Kong Immigration authorities arrested four imported workers and three operators of unlicensed elderly homes in a territory-wide enforcement operation on Sunday, called “Silver Wing.”
The Immigration Department received a tip that several unregistered elderly care facilities were illegally deploying imported workers in violation of their employment contracts. After an investigation, immigration officers conducted the raid, arresting the four workers comprising one man and three women between the ages of 32-52.
The workers, brought in from overseas on employment visas, stand accused of breaching their conditions of stay by working at the unlicensed elderly homes rather than their contractually obligated workplaces.
Authorities also arrested three women ages 42-65 who ran the illegal care homes. They face charges of aiding and abetting the imported workers’ immigration violations.
“Any person contravening their condition of stay faces a maximum $50,000 HKD fine and up to two years in prison upon conviction,” said an Immigration Department spokesman. “Aiders and abettors are also subject to prosecution and penalties.”
The spokesman emphasized the seriousness of illegally employing foreign workers without proper documentation, noting enhanced maximum penalties of a $500,000 HKD fine and 10 years’ imprisonment for offending employers, companies, and corporate officers.
“Hong Kong courts have sentencing guidelines calling for immediate custodial sentences for employers of illegal workers to address the gravity of these offenses,” the spokesman stated.
Sunday’s operation underscores Hong Kong’s crackdown on immigration labor violations amid longstanding concerns over the exploitation of imported workers in informal working arrangements. (HKPinoyTV)
