In a move that will see the support of all responsible employers, the Minister of Immigration has announced new measures to stop employers who breach immigration and employment law from recruiting migrant workers.
Employers that have incurred a penalty for a breach of employment standards will face a set stand-down period preventing them from recruiting migrant labour for six months, one year, 18 months or two years, depending on the severity of the breach.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and the Labour Inspectorate are working through the implementation of these changes. The primary component of this will be a list of non-compliant employers, provided by the Labour Inspectorate to Immigration NZ.
The exploitation of workers – such as paying less than the minimum wage or making people work excessive hours – is totally unacceptable and breaches New Zealand law.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) recognises that migrant workers are a vulnerable section of the workforce as while they have the same employment rights as all other workers in New Zealand, they are less likely to be aware of their rights and entitlements than New Zealand workers.