The Public Security Police (PSP) have arrested two female students from the Chinese mainland for unlawful employment and illegal work respectively, PSP spokesman Lei Chan Hon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Lei said that both the employer and employee were surnamed Zhang—the employer being in her 20s and the employee aged 21.
According to Lei, while conducting a routine patrol on Estrada do Istmo (路氹連貫公路) last Friday, PSP officers noticed the 21-year-old Zhang holding a camera and taking photographs of three other women. Suspecting that they were involved in illegal work, the officers intercepted and questioned them.
Upon questioning, Lei said, the employer admitted to having hired the 21-year-old to provide photography services. Investigations revealed that the employer had previously hired her via a mobile app at an hourly rate of 400 yuan (480 patacas), and both had agreed to meet last Friday for the photo shoot.
During the operation, PSP officers seized a camera and three smartphones.
The employer has since been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) to face charges of unlawful employment.
As the photographer violated the Law on Hiring Non-Resident Workers, her case has been referred to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) for follow-up.
Under Article 73 of Law No. 16/2021, a first-time offence of hiring illegal workers carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, while repeat offenders face two to eight years behind bars.
Under the Regulation on Prohibition of Illegal Work, the photographer faces a fine ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 patacas, as well as a two-year ban on engaging in any employment activity in Macau.
Both are students enrolled in the Chinese mainland.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police (PSP) yesterday shows PSP officers escorting the two students from the Chinese mainland to a police station.
