Category: MIL-OSI

Five persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations (with photo) 
     ImmD officers found that social media platforms have been utilised by Mainland makeup artists to advertise makeup services in Hong Kong. After a comprehensive investigation and intelligence analysis, ImmD officers identified a suspect and initiated an operation. Officers disguised themselves as customers to enquire about and book makeup services from a Mainland makeup artist. The makeup artist was subsequently arrested while providing makeup service in Hong Kong. The arrested illegal worker is a woman, aged 27.
 
     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers also raided multiple target locations including restaurants, retail stores and flats under renovation, etc. Three suspected illegal workers and a suspected aider and abettor were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised one man and two women, aged 35 to 57. Among them, one man was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Furthermore, the suspected aider and abettor arrested was a man aged 31.
 
     An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties.”
 
     The spokesman warned, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
 
     The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
 
     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
 
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
 
     For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:40

Appointment of Directors of Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited announced      
     The three new Directors are Professor Cheung Chak-chung, Mr Herbert Hui Leung-wah and Mr Johnson Kong Chi-how. The six serving Directors, namely Mr Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung, Mr Simon Chan Sai-ming, Ms Erica Ma Yun, Mr Patrick Tsang On-yip, Dr Maggie Tsoi Tsz-shan and Mr Ken Wong Kin-hang, will continue their service on the Board.
      
     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, welcomed the above appointments. He said, “Leveraging the Board’s multifaceted background, experience and insights, Cyberport is committed to continuously pursuing its public missions and ascending to a new level of impact, thereby accelerating Hong Kong’s transformation into an international hub for artificial intelligence and innovative technology.”
      
     Professor Sun also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing Directors, Professor Christopher Chao Yu-hang, Dr Michael Leung Kin-man and Ms Ivy Cheung Wing-han, for their contributions to Cyberport over the past six years.
      
     The full membership of the Cyberport Board, with effect from April 1, 2026, is as follows:

Mr Simon Chan Sai-ming (Chairman)
Mr Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung
Professor Cheung Chak-chung
Mr Kenny Chien Kwok-keung
Ms Ivy Chua Suk-lin
Mr Herbert Hui Leung-wah
Mr Johnson Kong Chi-how
Dr Jack Kong Jianping
Mr Lau Kwok-fan
Mr Stephen Law Cheuk-kin
Dr James Li Tsz-shu
Ms Erica Ma Yun
Mr Roy Ng Chun-tat
Ir Dr Derrick Pang Yat-bond
Mr Patrick Tsang On-yip
Dr Maggie Tsoi Tsz-shan
Mr Ken Wong Kin-hang
Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry
Issued at HKT 15:10

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Hong Kong Property Review 2026 preliminary findings released 
     The preliminary findings cover the completions, take-up and vacancy of major private property types in 2025, forecast completions in 2026 and 2027, as well as price and rental data. A summary of the findings is available on the RVD’s webpage 
     For enquiries, please call the RVD’s Technical Secretary (Information) on 2150 8807.
Issued at HKT 10:35

Appointments to Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund BoardMr Matthew Lam Kin-hongMr Chu Hon-chung
Mr Wong Yin-hao
Ms Ching Ngon-laiMs Wong Caroline Ho
Ms Alice Wong Nga-lai
Ms Ngan Ming-sauAssistant Commissioner for Labour (responsible for wage security matters)
Assistant Principal Solicitor of the Official Receiver’s OfficeIssued at HKT 11:00

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Applications open for 11th batch of Child Development Fund projects     ​
     The 11th batch of NGO-led and school-based projects will provide approximately 4 600 places for eligible children studying Primary Three to Primary Six in the 2026/27 school year. NGOs and primary schools interested in operating CDF projects may refer to the Guide on Application Procedures on the SWD website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/whatsnew/latestnew/Issued at HKT 11:00

FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March