The national economy ministry has vowed to take the strictest possible action against any foreigner working illegally in Hungary following the mass issuance of fake work permits in an eastern Hungarian county.
In Hajdú-Bihar, the county in question, the local authorities informed the police about the illegal employment of third-country nationals involving the falsification of official documents, a crime which carries a three-year prison sentence. The ministry emphasised that Hungarian workers enjoyed priority, noting that MPs recently tightened up immigration rules. It is up to the state to decide whether conditions have been met before foreigners can take up temporary residence and work in Hungary, the statement said. Further, foreigners can only be employed in a particular job if a Hungarian worker is not available to fill it, the ministry added.