Firm, director directed multiple migrants to breach visa conditions
Gisborne-based East Security Ltd has been fined $15,600 for allowing multiple migrant workers to breach their visa conditions and work unlawfully as security guards.
Its sole director and shareholder, Lydia Noi Edwards, was also sentenced to 90 hours of community work after pleading guilty to aiding and abetting multiple migrants to breach their visa conditions.
The penalty follows an investigation by Immigration New Zealand, which uncovered that Edwards facilitated the unlawful employment of 16 Fijian nationals.
Steve Watson, General Manager of Immigration Compliance and Investigations at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, said the migrants had initially been granted Critical Purpose Visas in 2022 to work as forestry workers and planters for East Coast forestry contractor Abushman Contractor, a business also associated with Edwards.
These visas, which were valid for six months, restricted the workers to employment solely with Abushman in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.
Despite the restriction, Edwards aided and abetted the migrants to take on additional work as security guards with East Security shortly after arriving in New Zealand.
Investigators found that Edwards directed the migrants to carry out weekend security work at major sporting events or concerts in various cities and towns, including Auckland and Tauranga. The workers travelled in East Security vehicles, wearing uniforms provided by the company.
"The security work often involved long hours and nightshifts and was performed in addition to their normal week's work," Immigration NZ said on its website.
As a result of the guilty plea, the company was also ordered to pay the court costs in the case.
The sentence highlights that breaching immigration law will not be tolerated and anyone doing so will be held to account, according to Watson.
New Zealand's Critical Purpose Visa previously allowed entry to eligible workers despite border closures due to COVID-19 restrictions. The scheme, which has been closed since September 2022, allowed holders to stay from six to 12 months.
