Labor Party immigration spokesman Phil Twyford.
Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone
Labor Party immigration spokesman Phil Twyford has called for action against a company accused of selling jobs.
An immigration consultant, Heidi Castelucci, was recorded telling off a foreign worker she can help him get a residence permit with a fake job in exchange for $70,000.
She said the job would be at her husband’s company, Liberty Consulting Group Limited in Auckland, a recognized employer under the visa rules.
The company denies that anything went wrong.
Twyford said it needs to be thoroughly investigated. He said Immigration NZ needed the resources to thoroughly vet companies.
“I strongly support whatever the current administration can do to address these types of situations,” he said.
“I really hope that Immigration NZ investigates this thoroughly and that if the employer is found guilty, they should be thrown the book.”
Anu Kaloti, president of the Migrant Workers Association, said migrants in similar situations cannot seek protection through the Migrant Exploitation Protection Visa (MEPV), as was the case. is not considered exploitation if a person arrives and finds that he has no job, or if he loses his job shortly afterwards, after paying a premium to get work.
“We call it ‘the migrant worker has been ripped off’, but the immigration context now is such that if someone has paid money to secure a job and support for the visa, he or she should not be considered exploited, and possibly not. are eligible for the MEPV.
“So the message that these institutions then send is that you are absolutely out of help. We fear that we may have created our next batch of overstayers or false refugee claims.”
Castelucci told RNZ that if the complainant had “particular concerns about my conduct as a licensed immigration adviser, these would be appropriately referred to the Immigration Advisers Authority for consideration. It would not be appropriate for me to comment until that process has been completed.”
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