Ella Lei calls for reinforcement of laws to combat illegal work

Lawmaker Ella Lei has called on the government to review existing laws on illegal work and expand the authorized actions that local authorities can take to monitor these cases effectively.

The lawmaker called for modifications to be made to the laws and greater emphasis placed on the rules and regulations for non-resident workers. In addition, it was suggested that more stringent punishments be implemented to deter future cases.

By addressing these issues, it is hoped that Macau will be able to curb the prevalence of illegal work and protect the rights and opportunities of both resident and non-resident workers alike.

Over the years, cases of illegal work have been detected in various sectors in Macau, particularly in construction, transport, and catering. In many of these cases, non-resident workers have been found to be performing unauthorized work.

Lei notat that due to the lack of fixed workplaces for many of these workers, the government and local authorities struggle to enforce existing laws and regulations effectively. This inability to combat the ever-increasing number of cases has become a pressing issue.

Previously, authorities only imposed fines – around 8,800 patacas per person – on those caught engaging in illegal work.

However, according to the lawmaker, locals have questioned the seemingly ineffective measures against these workers, as well as how these workers are able to illegally perform functions outside the scope of their work visas.

For Lei, the existing laws are perceived as weak by the public. Due to the leniency of these laws, illegal workers are not deterred by the risk of what fines and sanctions they might be charged with.

Staff Reporter