Guangdong investigates illegal foreign labor

Guangdong labor authorities are investigating the influx of illegal foreign workers into the province looking for work, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a report in state media. The majority of the workers are from Southeast Asian countries, and officials are debating whether they should be allowed to do blue-collar work for lower wages. Gan Wenchuan, chief of the Guangdong Employment Service Bureau, said the province is planning to revise regulations for all migrant workers, including foreign workers. The mainland remains technically closed to foreign laborers but as labor costs have increased more and more manufacturers have turned to employing foreigners to keep costs down. State media reported that Guangdong police discovered 13 cases where illegal foreign workers had been employed and deported 180 of them for lacking work permits in 2009. In the first quarter of 2010, police handled six more cases and detained 154 people.