More than 370 foreigners working and living in Shenzhen without permission were repatriated by police in the first half of the year.

The foreigners were mainly working as teachers in schools and chefs in restaurants, a news conference by the local public security bureau was told Friday.

Bian Dongfeng, deputy chief of the entry and exit administration of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, said Shenzhen police cracked five illegal immigration cases in the first half of the year, involving 13 foreigners, and 23 illegal employment cases, involving 45 foreigners.

Bian also said all of the Filipino domestic helpers working in Shenzhen are illegally because they haven't received employment certificates in China.

"They were generally introduced to the mainland by domestic housekeeping firms and overseas agents," he said.

If found, Filipino housemaids will be ordered to leave the city within a certain time and fined 1,000 yuan (US$132) each, and their employers will be fined 5,000 to 50,000 yuan and have to pay the repatriation fees, Bian confirmed.

In another development, Shenzhen police have issued 22 green cards (permanent residence certificates) to foreigners living in Shenzhen since 2004, when the first was given to Kim Jae-il, a South Korean who is general manager of STS Microelectronics.

"We received 52 applications and have given the nod to 22 because the threshold and requirements for eligible applicants are high," said Bian.

He said eligibility applies to four categories of people: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses which promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make a large direct investment in China; foreigners who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and foreigners who come to China to be with their families.

There are 14,000 foreigners living in Shenzhen for more than one year.

According to the administration, to gain a legal work permit, firstly, foreigners must fill out a temporary residence form at the local police station or hotel.

Then, they need a physical checkup at the Huanggang Hospital (8377-4038) near the Binhe Road. Foreigners can get a work permit at the municipal labor and social security bureau with a temporary residence form, checkup results, passport and visa. They then need to go to their local police stations to be interviewed. If everything goes well, they can then apply to the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau for a residence permit. Finally, foreigners can get an employment permit from the labor bureau after all these procedures have been completed.

Police then check passports, visa endorsements and residence permits of expatriates living in Shenzhen for more than a year every December.

(Shenzhen Daily August 6, 2007)