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Immigration New Zealand launches investigation into migrant worker exploitation
The government has launched an investigation into dozens of migrant workers who have been left stranded in Auckland.
A Newshub report on Sunday revealed that more than 30 workers were stuck in Auckland after arriving in the country on accredited employment work visas.
Despite paying significant sums of money, ranging from $15,000 to $40,000, to various agents for their visas and related jobs, most of these workers were not provided with any paid employment.
Immigration New Zealand has since launched an investigation into four more properties in Auckland housing dozens more workers who are jobless.
Investigators have interviewed 115 Indian and Bangladeshi nationals who entered New Zealand on accredited employment work visas. They also inspected the residences where the workers are staying and found that these properties were unsuitable for accommodating such a large number of people.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the primary concern of Immigration New Zealand is the health and well-being of these individuals. This includes ensuring that each property has access to food, water and electricity, and connecting them with local agencies that can provide support and pastoral care.
On Thursday, Immigration Minister Andrew Little said the Public Service Commission would review the accredited employer work visa scheme’s processes after a whistleblower came forward with allegations of abuse.
Many workers are sleeping on the floor. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Papakura accommodation
RNZ can confirm that more than 30 workers are currently crammed into a squalid three-bedroom house in the South Auckland suburb of Papakura awaiting jobs.
They share a single toilet and shower, as well as rubbish bins that are overflowing.
Mattresses consume much of the floor space in rooms throughout the property and migrants who spoke to RNZ said that many are sleeping on the floor and it’s too cold. The garage is being used to hang clothes and store luggage.
Migrants complained of a plumbing problem, while a smell of sewage from underneath the home fills the entire house.
Sathish Kumar is from Andhra Pradesh in India. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Sathish Kumar is a welder who relocated to New Zealand after working in Poland for the past 18 months.
“I was on vacation in India and heard about New Zealand and job opportunities,” Kumar said.
Kumar reportedly paid $16,000 for his job and visa and arrived in Auckland two months ago.
Kumar said 25 workers were already living in the house when he arrived.
Gurvinder Singh, a truck driver who had spent the past eight years working in Dubai, paid $30,000 for his visa. He arrived in New Zealand in June.
“I’m calling my company daily and they are telling me to wait,” Singh said.
Eventually, Singh managed to meet company officials in Auckland but, to his dismay, he found no trucks available for him to drive.
Like many others in the house, Singh is now stuck in a state of uncertainty.
Gurvinder Singh has been working as a truck driver in Dubai for the past eight years. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
The migrants in the house have contacted Union Network of Migrants NZ president Mandeep Singh Bela and asked for help.
Bela said the accredited employer visa scheme had become an epidemic of migrant exploitation.
“This work visa scheme is being abused right now and the minister (of immigration) needs to have a good look at the accredited employer work visa processes, including how their accreditations are approved,” he said.
He said employers were not held accountable under the current system and expressed concern about the health and safety risks posed by overcrowded accommodation.
“The reality is that they are crowded into these houses, and they are struggling,” he said.
More than 30 people share a single shower and toilet. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Immigration New Zealand director of visas Sarah Clifford said her department had received a range of allegations and complaints related to worker exploitation. The department is currently conducting multiple investigations into these matters.
As of 9 August, five employers have had their accreditation suspended, and six others have had their accreditation revoked. Three of the six employers whose accreditation was revoked were the outcome of Immigration New Zealand investigations.
The Indian High Commission agreed to provide support to their nationals.
Immigration New Zealand is now working to contact offshore visa holders who are linked to this case to notify them not to travel until they receive further contact.
According to Immigration New Zealand, 80,576 accredited employer work visas have been approved since the new visa began in July 2022 as of Monday. Approximately 27,892 accredited employers have been recognised over the same period.
Employment law advocate May Moncur (left) and a group of exploited Chinese migrant workers after a meeting with Immigration Minister Andrew Little. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen
RNZ
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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