Publications and Press Releases

24 June 2025

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of anti-illegal worker focused operations by conducting surprise inspections and enforcement actions, targeting industries prone to involement with illegal employment from May 19 to yesterday (June 23). A total of 123 persons were arrested. Among them, 58 persons have been prosecuted for offences under the Immigration Ordinance, with 46 persons sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to 22 months.

The ImmD has long been highly vigilant against the problem of illegal employment and has taken vigorous and effective enforcement actions. In the past month and a half, the ImmD has mounted intelligence-led focused operations against illegal employment in the catering, cleaning and renovation industries. From May 19 to June 23, ImmD investigators conducted raids at 815 targeted locations across various districts in Hong Kong, resulting in the arrest of 89 illegal workers, 31 employers and three aiders and abettors. During an operation targeting the catering industry, ImmD investigators employed strategies including decoy operations at targeted restaurants, and conducted focused investigations at popular gathering spots for food delivery riders across multiple districts. A total of 60 illegal workers related to the catering industry were arrested, including dishwashers, kitchen workers, waiters, waitresses and food delivery riders. Furthermore, the ImmD conducted operations at housing estates and premises under renovation across various districts, arresting 14 illegal workers engaged in renovation and cleaning work.

The arrested illegal workers, aged between 21 and 67, comprised 45 non-ethnic Chinese persons (21 men and 24 women, including 14 men and nine women holding recognisance forms prohibiting them from taking any employment) and 44 Mainlanders (12 men and 32 women). Among the illegal workers arrested, 18 persons were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards, while three persons were suspected of using and being in possession of another person's identity card. Additionally, 34 Hong Kong residents (18 men and 16 women) were arrested for suspected involvement in employing illegal workers or aiding and abetting others in breaching their conditions of stay in Hong Kong.

Among the arrested illegal workers, 58 persons have been prosecuted for offences under the Immigration Ordinance, including breach of conditions of stay, using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card, and taking employment while being 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. Among them, 46 persons have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 54 days to 22 months. The enforcement actions are ongoing, and the ImmD does not rule out the possibility of further arrests or prosecutions.

The spokesman said that the ImmD will continue to combat illegal employment activities. The ImmD is committed to combating illegal employment by illegal immigrants, visitors, foreign domestic helpers, and imported workers bound by specific employment conditions in order to protect the local labour market. If illegal activities are suspected, citizens may contact the ImmD's dedicated hotline (2824 1551), email (anti_crime@immd.gov.hk) and online reporting platform (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/online-services/) to report illegal employment activities.