KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Employers who continue to hire foreign labour without proper permits will be arrested, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said today.

He added that ample warning has been given under the Manpower and Labour Recalibration Programme and now action will be taken against those who flout the law.

"The Home Ministry and other agencies will conduct large scale operations to ensure only those who have legitimate passports from their home countries and have valid documentation to work here.

"If you’re arrested and jailed, don’t be upset and blame the Immigration Department or my ministry as we have already informed everyone of this and we have the authority under the Immigration Act,” Hamzah told a news conference at Bukit Aman here.

Immigrants with expired temporary work visit passes were allowed to participate in the government’s labour recalibration programme, but those without passes are supposed to leave the country before midnight today.

On June 25, Hamzah said more than 200,000 undocumented migrants have been repatriated under the recalibration programme.