To some it sounds fair, but to others it's a loophole in the law. Illegal immigrants in Hong Kong seeking asylum in Hong Kong are free to work in the city without getting jailed. The Court of First Instance affirmed last March that any illegal immigrant seeking asylum in Hong Kong are allowed to find job while waiting for the outcome of their application.That means if you are an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, you have to file your application for asylum immediately and you're free to find work. That's the easier part. The harder part is to reach Hong Kong without proper documentation. In other words, Hong Kong authorities are cracking down hard on those who plan to take advantage of this alleged loophole in the law.
But this doesn't seem to deter illegal immigrants from crossing the boundary. Eight illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Africa were intercepted Thursday as they crossed Hong Kong from Mainland China. Yesterday, another 13 from Pakistan were nabbed in the same area. Getting hints from the latest human smuggling route, authorities have better idea where to look at.
"We are waiting for you. Once we catch you, you will be prosecuted with the full weight of Hong Kong law," Superintendent John Cameron said.
Some 1,064 non-Chinese illegal immigrants, mostly South Asians, have been arrested so far this year, up from 964 in the whole of last year, according to South China Morning Post reports.
If you are an asylum seeker at home, you probably favor this ruling. As a newcomer in the city with basically know nobody and get no support from the government, you try to find work so you'll survive. But in the eyes of many people, this is a something that's open to abuse and much easier than finding someone to sponsor your visa and wait for seven years to get right of abode.
I feel sorry for some of the immigrants who spent a lot of money to get away from their troubled countries and to enter Hong Kong. But some are simply not too prepared for it. One of them was from Pampanga in the Philippines who visited Hong Kong and applied for asylum. Asked what's the reason why he sought refuge in the city, he said he's being harassed by the fugitive Abu Sayyaf group. Pampanga is a province in Luzon island and it's quite far from the Abu Sayyaf lair so his case needs a little more convincing.
Photo credit: SydneyWalker
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