Deputy Public Service Commissioner Heather Baggott said changes to the scheme did not work as intended and INZ should have done more to minimise risk of abuse of the work visa system.

“Immigration New Zealand implemented, very quickly, a new model to accelerate immigration at a time the country desperately needed skilled workers. 

“While it was unscrupulous employers who exploited migrants coming into the country, Immigration New Zealand could have, and should have, done more to minimise the risk of that happening.”

She said chief executive of Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Carolyn Tremain had since made or was undertaking the necessary changes to the scheme to ensure it better protected migrant workers coming into the country.

“I expect the chief executive will continue to make improvements in line with the recommendations identified in the report. And the chief executive has assured me this will happen.”

As of August 14, 2023, Immigration New Zealand had approved 80,576 Accredited Employer Work Visa applications and there were 27,892 accredited employers. 

By February 16, 2024, MBIE had received 2107 complaints against accredited employers.

One hundred and seventy-four employers are currently being investigated, 145 employers have had accreditation revoked, 53 have had accreditation suspended and 48 employers are under assessment to have their accreditation revoked.

Last year, then-Immigration Minister Andrew Little said the scheme would be reviewed after he received an anonymous letter from an internal whistleblower.

“The particular allegations were that some checks on employers were not being made and some checks as part of the job check process were not being made.” 

RNZ