New Zealand passes new bill protecting migrant workers
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — The Government of New Zealand recently passed a new bill to safeguard migrant workers.
Amending the Companies Act 1993, the new Worker Protection (Migrant and Other Employees) Bill gives employers exploiting migrant workers stricter penalties and disqualification from managing or directing companies.
“We need to ensure that our employment and immigration systems work well to protect the conditions of every employee in New Zealand, including migrant workers,” said Workplace Relations and Safety Associate Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan.
Furthermore, the bill introduces three new infringement offenses under the Immigration Act 2009. These nclude employing someone not entitled to work in their role, hiring someone under conditions differing from their employer-supported visa application, and failing to provide requested documents to immigration officers.
Radhakrishnan explained that these new conditions target breaches at the “lower level” as they often escalate into more serious exploitation.
The newly passed legislation represents the final changes from the 2020 Temporary Migrant Worker Exploitation Review. Previous measures include dedicated reporting tools and support services for victims of exploitation and the introduction of the Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa for employees who have reported exploitation cases.
Radhakrishnan noted that these measures showed “significant uptake and positive results” in employing migrant workers. However, she also stressed that ongoing vigilance is required to address migrant exploitation effectively.
