Belfast restaurant faces 60k fine over illegal workers from China

By Adam Evans

A restaurant in Belfast is facing up to a £60,000 fine for employing illegal workers.

The Home Office says three immigration offenders from China were found working at the Red Panda in Queen's Quay.

They have been detained and the resaurant now needs to prove it carried out the right document checks.

In a statement the Home Office explained: "The business was served a referral notice in relation to the illegal workers. 

"The notice warns that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker arrested will be imposed unless the employer 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."

Further to this, 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 to those who choose to ignore the rules the message is clear - we will find you and you will 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."