36 people arrested in city-wide crackdown on illegal Lunar New Year market labour

Hong Kong’s Immigration Department, Labour Department and Police have arrested 36 individuals—including 12 suspected illegal workers operating stalls at Lunar New Year flower markets—during a multi-agency operation that ran from 6–15 February. Offences ranged from working in breach of visa conditions to employing persons not lawfully employable, both of which carry jail terms of up to three years and fines of HK$350,000. (newsminimalist.com)

The sweep also targeted eateries and retail shops popular with tourists, reflecting official concern that the post-pandemic labour shortage might tempt employers to cut corners during the holiday rush. Employers found guilty risk being denied future applications for foreign domestic helpers or imported skilled staff under the Supplementary Labour Scheme.



Global mobility managers should take note: authorities increasingly share databases across departments, meaning a company caught once can see all future work-permit requests flagged for additional scrutiny. Firms using temporary staff at pop-up stores or event booths must ensure every hire has the right to work; copies of Hong Kong IDs or work visas should be kept on site for spot checks.

The crackdown follows several January raids in which more than 100 illegal workers were detained at construction sites. Together they signal that immigration compliance—not just headcount growth—will dominate boardroom risk registers in 2026.