Migrant exploitation

This has been in the news a lot recently and exploitation is something the Government is really keen to control in New Zealand. However, like most governments they don’t really understand how to go about controlling it…

I think the most important factor in migrant exploitation is how migrants get their visas. It is the visa that is the vehicle of exploitation and having control over this means having control over the actors of exploitation. Without professional representation or at least some contact with an advocate, visitors to New Zealand are probably not going to understand the protections in place we have for them, where to go for help, or even signs to be aware of that exploitation is happening.

The first point of contact for any dealing in New Zealand immigration law, i.e. a visa application, should be the appropriate professionals who are licensed or specifically exempt from licensing. In New Zealand this means licensed immigration advisers (LIA) and lawyers mostly.

By having contact with professionals, migrants will have at least one contact point to query when they feel things might be going wrong. But more importantly, when getting an application done professionally, we pick up on things that don’t seem right, and often give employers a bit of advice or gentle pressure to ensure that potential exploitation doesn’t occur. Often just a gentle reminder that they are being watched is enough to guide a dodgy employer back on track. Almost all employers are good, but there are many definitions of exploitation that even a good employer my inadvertently find themselves doing. In this case a gentle heads up may also help the employer and prevent them from having compliance issues in the future.

In the end, professional representation will almost always cost less than the agents are charging for their scam, so there should be no reason why this protection should not be encouraged more widely. The Government is focussing on employer accreditation but this does not address the root cause.

Check out our page on migrant exploitation for detailed information on prevention and signs of a scam.

https://www.immigrate.kiwi.nz/information-forms/migrant-exploitation