Two businesses based in Wales have been fined a combined some of £15,000 after they were caught employing illegal workers.
The Noble City restaurant in Treorchy, was raided by officers from the UK Border Agency on 26 March 2010 after receiving a tip off that illegal workers were employed there. After the immigration status of staff was checked, a Chinese man working in the kitchen was found to be a failed asylum seeker who had not left the UK when his claim for protection was turned down.
He was deported to China on 9 April and Noble City was issued with an on-the-spot penalty notice for employing him.
The employer was given an opportunity to prove to the agency that they carried out the correct right-to-work checks on the man, such as asking for a passport or work permit.
After failing to provide the necessary evidence the employer has now been handed a fine of £5,000.
a similar discovery was made on the April, a raid was carried out at Blue Sky in Treherbert, where a 22-year-old Chinese woman and 39-year-old Chinese man were found working illegally. They were arrested and steps to return them to China continue.
The employer – named as North Lake (10) Limited – was fined £10,000 for giving jobs to the two illegal workers.
Jane Farleigh, the UK Border Agency’s regional director for Wales and the South West, said:
“The message is clear for employers – we will not tolerate illegal working. It is a crime that not only undercuts local business but also has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.
“It is the legal responsibility of all employers to check that staff have the right to work in the UK. There are simple ways of checking a foreign national’s right to work and there are no excuses for failing to do so.”
