The number of employers arrested for employing illegal immigrants or overstayers increased to 55 in the first half of this year, from 15 in the same period last year, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority revealed in its half-yearly report on Tuesday.

This follows a similar increase in the number of individuals caught for harbouring illegal offenders in their homes. Between January and June this year, 111 individuals were arrested for this offence, up from 19 in the same period last year.

ICA added that as of July 1 last year, all investigative and associative functions for harbouring and employment cases have been transferred to the authority from the Singapore Police Force, allowing for a more centralised management and more coordinated enforcement efforts.