New Zealand opens an investigation into the exploitation of Indians and Bangladeshis
New Zealand Immigration says that the people affected were kept in places that were not safe or clean, which raises questions about their health and rights.
The New Zealand government has started a full investigation into claims that 115 Indian and Bangladeshi people were taken advantage of when they came to the country with the promise of work that never came.
These people were put up in places that weren't big enough to hold so many people. New Zealand Immigration said in a press statement that the conditions of the housing were dirty, unsanitary, and not right.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) said last week that it has started an "in-depth and comprehensive investigation" into the case.
"Our reporters have talked to 115 people from India and Bangladesh who came to New Zealand on Accredited Employment Work Visas (AEWV) because they were promised jobs when they got there. People have said they paid a lot of money for a visa and a job, but most are still waiting for paid work, according to the immigration office.
Even though they paid between USD 15,000 (about INR 12,46,778) and USD 40,000 (about INR 33,24,742) to different agents for their visas and related jobs, most of these workers did not get paid work, according to the news site rnz.co.nz.
The Accredited Employer Work Visa, or AEWV, is a type of temporary work visas. Some people have been in New Zealand for a few months, while others have just moved there. Immigration officials said the Indian High Commission has been asked to help Indian citizens.
In a tweet sent out last Friday, the Indian High Commission said, "As soon as we heard that Indian workers in Auckland were in trouble, we called out to help them. The workers were given food and access to consular services.
We are in touch with everyone who needs to be. We care about the well-being of the Indian people in New Zealand." According to a story, the Accredited Employer Work Visa program is already looking into 164 cases of worker abuse and other violations.
Since it started in July of last year, the scheme has given nearly 81,000 visas to about 27,900 employers who have been accepted. It said that it was meant to stop exploitation by ensuring employers could stay in business and treat their workers properly. This was done by doing checks before and after accreditation.
Immigration Minister Andrew Little has asked for an independent review of how the scheme is being run right away after a whistleblower raised "serious concerns" last Tuesday that checks of possible accredited employers were not being done.
