BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AN operation was carried out by the Department of Immigration and National Registration yesterday between 4.30am to 7am at two separate rented houses and workers’ quarters at Mukim Berakas A and B.

During the operation, 12 male foreigners were taken to the Enforcement Section for failure to present any document containing immigration passes which are still valid.

After due process, eight of them were released after their employer or representative brought their passports containing the stamped immigration passes.

The Department of Immigration and National Registration, meanwhile, reminded employers to ensure that work passes issued to them for their foreign employees are still valid.

In a statement, the department said it is an offence for foreign nationals to continue to work when their passes have expired.

“Employers are also advised to always be vigilant of the whereabouts of their workers. On conviction of the offense of expired immigration passes, the foreign workers concerned will be deported after imprisonment and administratively will be blacklisted,” the statement said.

The department also warned foreign nationals in the sultanate not to abuse the immigration passes issued to them.

They reminded foreigners not to make arrangements or surrender their passports to individuals purporting to be agents who are taking care of their immigration needs on behalf of a recruitment agency, but later disappear without any trace of their whereabouts.

The Brunei Times