More than 70 employers also have accreditation suspended
More than 200 employers in New Zealand are banned from hiring foreign talent under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme, according to Immigration NZ.
As of April 8, a total of 224 employers had their accreditation revoked while 76 employers had their accreditation suspended.
Immigration NZ said they can revoke an employer's accreditation if breaches of accreditation standards are found.
They can also suspend an accreditation if there is an active case to confirm whether the employer or its key people are compliant with immigration, employment, or business standards that would prevent them from being accredited if proven.
Accreditation under review for 50 employers
According to the agency, it is reviewing the accreditation of 50 employers for revocation, while four are under evaluation for suspension.
"Suspending an employer's accreditation minimises immigration harm where there are reasonable concerns that an employer is not complying with the relevant immigration, employment or business standards," Immigration NZ said on its website.
There are currently 199 active investigations on accredited employers in New Zealand, where there is a total of 2,625 complaints filed against accredited employers.
"This number only indicates an allegation involving an Accredited Employer has been received, not whether the allegation can be substantiated," it clarified.
As of April 8, there are currently 34,440 accredited employers in New Zealand, while there are 116,759 approved applications under the AEWV.
Changes to AEWV scheme
The government previously announced that it is introducing a string of changes to improve the AEWV scheme amid near-record migration levels in 2023.
These changes include the introduction of the English language requirement for migrants applying for low skilled level four and five roles, reduction of maximum continuous stay, as well as a minimum skills and work experience threshold for most AEWV roles, among others.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the changes will also ensure the scheme's integrity and prevent migrant worker exploitation.
A report from the Public Service Commission released in February said Immigration NZ could have and should have done more to minimise the risk of abuse to the AEWV scheme.
