Seven foreign nationals who pleaded guilty at the Kokopo District Court last week for breaching their visa conditions, will be required to pay fines and directed to return to their country or face deportation.
In a statement, Chief Migration Officer, Solomon Kantha, said: “The Immigration and Citizenship Authority will not tolerate any foreigners who breach the Migration Act and are working unlawfully in PNG.
“If we find you residing or working in breach of your visa conditions, you will be charged and removed from this country.”
Kantha sounded this warning following the successful conviction of six Malaysians and a Chinese national in Kokopo for breaching their visa conditions by working for another company, under the visa of a different employer.
“Further action will also be taken on the company involved,” stated Kantha.
The seven foreigners were apprehended by Immigration officers with the help of police mobile squad during an operation last month at Palmalmal, Pomio district.
The foreigners entered PNG using a business visa and employment visa sponsored by a company but were working for a different Chinese logging firm operating near the Palmalmal area.
All seven were found guilty by the district court and paid a sum of K2,000 each as court fine.
They are released on bail and are cooperating with Immigration officers awaiting their removal from PNG.
Kantha said Immigration is expanding its compliance operations and modernising its systems to detect and prevent visa fraud and unlawful non-citizens crossing the borders with fake travel documents.
“With APEC around the corner, we will be in full force to ensure people with no right to enter and live in PNG will be detained and removed,” said the Chief Migration Officer.