Takeaway faces fine for employing illegal workers

In an intelligence led operation, Immigration Enforcement officers visited New Century, Oldpark Road, Belfast on Saturday (April 7).

New Century was served a referral notice in relation to the illegal workers identified by immigration checks. The notice warns that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless the employers can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work. If proof is not provided, this is a potential total of up to £100,000.

Mike Golden, from Immigration Enforcement in Northern Ireland, said: “We are happy to work with businesses to explain the simple pre-employment checks needed to establish a person’s right to work in the UK, but those who choose to ignore the rules face a heavy financial penalty.

“Illegal working is not victimless - it undercuts honest employers, cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities and defrauds the public purse.

“I urge anyone with specific and detailed information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

According to the Home Office, the checks found that a 47-year-old woman and 33-year-old man had entered the UK illegally. A 52-year-old man was a failed asylum seeker who was in the UK illegally. All are now in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK.

A further two men one aged 37 who had overstayed his visa and a 41-year-old who has an outstanding Home Office application and no permission to work have been ordered to report regularly to Immigration Enforcement while their cases are progressed.