Immigration Department and Travel Industry Authority mount joint anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) and the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) today (May 4) mounted a joint anti-illegal worker operation to combat illegal workers providing tourist guide and tour escort services in Hong Kong. A Mainland visitor, who is a suspected illegal worker, was arrested.
As there have been suspected illegal workers utilising social media platforms to advertise tour guide and tour escort services in Hong Kong, the ImmD and the TIA initiated an operation. Officers disguised as customers enquired about and booked services from the suspect. The suspect was subsequently arrested while providing such services in Hong Kong. The arrested illegal worker was a man, aged 27. The ImmD will consider prosecution against him for the offence of breaching conditions of stay.
The ImmD and the TIA have also deployed officers to distribute leaflets to the public and visitors at tourist hotspots, conveying the message of "Don't employ illegal tour escorts or tourist guides".
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 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.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) and the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) have mounted a joint anti-illegal worker operation today (May 4). Photo shows officers from the ImmD and the TIA distributing leaflets to the public and visitors, conveying the message of "Don't employ illegal tour escorts or tourist guides". Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Immigration Department and the Travel Industry Authority have mounted a joint anti-illegal worker operation today (May 4). Photo shows a suspected illegal worker arrested during the operation. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, commences his visit to Bratislava, Slovakia, in the afternoon of September 22 (Bratislava time).
Professor Sun met with the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Mr Samuel Migal', and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is keenly interested in strengthening ties with the fast-growing Central and Eastern European region, including the Slovak Republic. The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation, signed in April 2025 by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Slovak Republic Government, has laid an important institutional foundation. He looks forward to enhancing collaboration of enterprises, start-ups, higher education institutions, and research institutes in both places. He was briefed on the Slovak development in AI and smart city. The Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Hong Kong, Mr Willy Lin, also attended the meeting.
Professor Sun then met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, Mr Egon Zorad, to learn about the Agency's professional services in promoting investments and invite Slovak enterprises to establish operations in Hong Kong. Under the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, the Agency is Slovakia's national agency responsible for promoting foreign investments and handling foreign business affairs, tasked with attracting foreign investments, promoting foreign trade, and assisting the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
On September 23, Professor Sun met with the State Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy of the Slovak Republic, Ms Alena Sabelová, to learn about the latest development of Slovakia in innovation and technology (I&T) areas including AI and robotics industry, start-ups ecosystem and traditional industry and the relevant policies. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong, with unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, serves as an important gateway connecting the world and the Chinese Mainland and is striving to develop into an international I&T centre. He said that there is an immense opportunity for collaboration between Hong Kong and Slovakia. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation between the two governments, Professor Sun expects the enhanced exchanges between scientific research institutes, scientific and technological talent and enterprises in both places, and the promotion of co-operation in scientific research and innovation as well as the transfer of technology and innovation outcomes, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the two places.
Professor Sun then visited the Slovak National Innovation and Technology Centre, which was converted from a large shopping outlet. Professor Sun learned about the centre's efforts in combining the strengths of the Government, academia and research institutions as well as the industry to promote technology transfer, industrial innovation and commercial applications, with a focus on sustainable growth and production process modernisation. The centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Productivity Council in September 2025 to forge closer ties in I&T development, while facilitating talent nurturing and enterprises to go global.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun visited the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, which is the country's leading modern research university dedicated to technical, engineering, and architectural disciplines. He was briefed about the university's industrial partnerships, intellectual property commercialisation, technology transfer ecosystems, and strategic institutional development projects.
Professor Sun also visited Innovatrics to learn about its latest research and development technologies and business development. Headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, Innovatrics is an independent, European-based provider of trusted biometric identity management solutions.
After concluding his visit that day, Professor Sun proceeded to Vienna, Austria, in the late afternoon to continue his visit.
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Slovakia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
