Bosses face tough penalties under New Zealand plans to protect migrant workers

Email|Print|Comments       twitter     facebook     Sina Microblog     reddit    

The New Zealand government on Thursday moved to crack down on the exploitation of migrant workers, introducing a proposed law that could see employers jailed for up to seven years and fined up to 100,000 NZ dollars ( 83,022 U.S. dollars) for poorly treating workers.

And exploitative employers who are themselves overseas residents in New Zealand would be liable for deportation if the crime was committed within 10 years of gaining a residence visa, according to the Immigration Amendment Bill.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said the tough penalties reflected the seriousness of such offenses.

"The fundamental and overriding principle is that migrant workers have the same employment rights and protections as all other workers in New Zealand," Woodhouse said in a statement.

"We are only too aware that some employers exploit their migrant workers by paying them less than the minimum wage or making them work excessive hours. Sadly, in many cases the employer is a migrant themselves and taking advantage of vulnerable people from their own community," he said.

The bill would also allow immigration officers to search an employer's premises and talk to the people present to identify offending, and to search for unlawful workers, check documents and ensure migrant employees were complying.

The bill formed part of a package to address migrant exploitation and followed policy changes in June that encouraged victims of exploitation to come forward without fear of being penalized.

It follows a series of reported cases of exploitation of migrant workers, including that of an Auckland restaurant chain, which was charged in June with paying up to 100 workers less than 4 NZ dollars an hour to work more than 70 hours a week.

• Documentary of Chinese female construction workers' living condition
• Behind prosperity: village in the city
• Visiting home is to a place unknown
• City life not as exciting as it is at home
• Chinese man arrested for imprisoning, rape
• Report encourages parity for migrants
• Migrant children’s dream of stage
• Migrant workers' high incomes not that rosy
• What has eco-migration brought to rural residents in Chongqing
• Lonely summer for migrant kids

We Recommend

• Communication ship Yuri Ivanov launched in Russia
• 11 countries' warships arrive at Jervis Bay for security exercise
• 118.28-carat diamond to be auctioned in HK
• 4 dead, 58 missing after Typhoon Wutip
• Portrait of an amateur Waltz dancer
• Travel with photographer- Gansu province
• Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo visits Tihar Jail in New Delhi
• Gelato World Tour set to hit Australia
• Alpacas charm visitors at America's National Alpaca Farm Days