More than 2,000 immigration offenders caught last year
Fewer illegal immigrants and overstayers were caught last year, according to the annual statistics report by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
The figure was at 2,040, a 19 per cent drop from the 2,530 arrested in 2013, according to the report released on Tuesday (Jan 27).
| Illegal immigrants arrested | Overstayers arrested | Total number of immigration offenders arrested | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 350 | 1,690 | 2,040 |
| 2013 | 600 | 1,930 | 2,530 |
| 2012 | 690 | 1,890 | 2,580 |
But the number of people caught harbouring immigration offenders went up.
| People caught harbouring immigration offenders | People caught employing immigration offenders | Total number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 250 | 69 | 319 |
| 2013 | 233 | 97 | 330 |
| 2012 | 77 | 41 | 118 |
"Immigration offenders pose potential law and order problems for our society and we must take a tough stance against them," stated the report.
It added: "Homeowners are reminded to exercise due diligence in checking the status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their status in Singapore is legal."
Those who wish to rent their premises to foreigners are required to conduct the following checks:
- Check the person's original immigration/work pass.
- Cross check the particulars on the person's pass against the particulars on the person's original passport.
- Verify the validity of the person's pass by checking with the issuing authority.
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