• 142 infringement notices were issued to 139 employers in the first year of the Immigration Employment Infringement scheme.
• A total of $431,000 in penalties was dealt out.
• Construction, hospitality, and the beauty industry received the most infringements.

A business in the mining industry fined $27,000 for underpaying a significant number of migrant workers was among the biggest penalties issued in the first year of the Immigration Employment Infringement scheme.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) released figures today showing 142 infringement notices were issued to 139 employers in the scheme’s first year.

Among those was a Wellington construction company fined $18,000 after it was found to have five migrants working in breach of their visa conditions, and a migrant who was unlawfully in New Zealand.

In total, $431,000 in penalties was dealt out.

Most of the infringement fees ranged from $1000 to $3000.

The three industries to receive the most infringements were construction, hospitality, and beauty.

Acting general manager, immigration compliance and investigations, Michael Carley, said the scheme has enabled MBIE to tackle non-compliance more effectively and swiftly.

“Before the scheme, there were limited tools for us to use to address lower-level immigration offending,” Carley said.

“Now, employers can no longer claim they are unaware of the rules of hiring migrants, nor can they rely on their past compliance to escape the consequences.

“There are serious penalties for those who fail to follow immigration laws.”

Infringements also mean employers are unable to hire migrants for a minimum of six months, depending on the number of infringement notices the employer receives.

“When hiring migrants, it’s really important that employers check that their visa allows them to work in New Zealand,” Carley said.

“We strongly advise that all employers use our visa view tool to verify the work rights of prospective employees. Taking the time to conduct this check could help avoid significant financial penalties and being stood down from hiring migrants for a time.”