Photo credit: jurist.org
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has called for significant changes to the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme (AEWV).
The Jurist reports that the call was made to include ending the practice of tying visas to specific employers and implementing a stronger framework for ethical recruitment and worker protections. Also, additional job check verifications are needed to ensure the legitimacy of positions being recruited.
The AEWV is a temporary work visa program introduced in May 2022. It allowed accredited employers to hire overseas staff. The scheme was designed to combat migrant exploitation by ensuring only certified employers could employ migrant workers.
In a review published this year, the Public Service Commission found that the AEWV scheme prioritized reducing visa processing times over addressing the risks of migrant exploitation and system abuse. The review highlighted that Immigration New Zealand (INZ) focused on meeting the demand for migrant workers but did not adequately assess the risks associated with reducing verification checks. This oversight led to increased exploitation by unscrupulous employers between 2022 and 2023.
Migrants reported having paid large sums to recruitment agencies for jobs that did not exist or being dismissed upon arrival and forced into unregistered, poorly paid work. One migrant said the visa felt like “handcuffs.”
In April, the AEWV underwent changes. Stricter requirements were introduced for employers and applicants. The changes also reduced the maximum continuous stay for AEWV holders and required employers to guarantee a minimum of thirty hours of work per week.
New visa applicants are also required to have higher qualifications or relevant work experience and meet English proficiency standards.
However, Karanina Sumeo, the commissioner of Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO), says the changes made in April did not address the underlying human rights risks.
Erica Stanford, the immigration minister, acknowledged that migrant exploitation is a “persistent issue” in New Zealand and assured that the Government is “taking action to help address” these concerns.
