More than 30 migrant workers were crammed into this house in Papakura. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Some migrant workers from India and Bangladesh who had been found living in overcrowded houses currently under investigation by Immigration New Zealand are abandoning their dream of securing employment in the country.
In September, the government unveiled an initiative aimed at rescuing scammed workers from further exploitation, offering temporary accommodation and cost-of-living support payments to help them get back on their feet.
While this support provided some relief for a period, an increasing number of these workers now face the challenge of securing employment in New Zealand, with some contemplating a return to their home countries if they fail in their bid to find work.
Among them is Varghese Kannur, an electrician from the Indian state of Kerala, who arrived in New Zealand on an Accredited Employer Work Visa after receiving a job offer through a recruitment company in Auckland.
Upon his arrival, however, Kannur discovered that the company offering him the job no longer existed, as it was in liquidation.
Having worked for many years in the Middle East and India, Kannur had believed that New Zealand offered him a fresh start. But more than a month after the support package was first announced, he is contemplating a return to India.
"I've had enough of New Zealand," he says.
Kannur attended three interviews arranged by the Ministry of Social Development but has yet to receive any job offers.
"My last interview was last week, but they were asking for local experience and certificates, which I don't have," he says.
Kannur had come to New Zealand with a formal job offer in front of him already and, therefore, never anticipated having to go through multiple interviews.
"I came here to work but that hasn't happened yet," he says.
Prasad Babu is a fabricator from Andhra Pradesh, India. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
Prasad Babu, a fabricator from Andhra Pradesh in India, says some of the workers he knows are facing similar challenges. Fortunately, Babu managed to secure employment in construction with the help of a friend.
Hugh Miller, employment general manager at Ministry of Social Development, says 11 workshops have been conducted with migrant workers to assess their skills and experience. Additionally, three employer days, where employers meet with workers, have been organised, with a fourth scheduled for Friday.
Miller says 15 candidates have started employment after finding a job through these workshops, eight have pending offers and 40 have been shortlisted, undergoing pre-employment checks.
He acknowledges that many workers struggle to secure jobs due to a lack of skills matching specific roles or language barriers.
"We encourage exploited migrants to continue to engage with their hub contact person or explore additional employment options through our website," Miller says.
Babu believes that finding work towards the end of the year will be challenging.
While the government granted exploited workers open work visas for six months, they still face rejection during interviews because employers are concerned about the limited timeframe.
He is puzzled by the logic of offering six-month visas that have an option to extend.
"If they had given us a one-year visa, finding a job would have been much easier," he says.
Temporary accommodation concerns
Temporary accommodation is also coming to an end for migrant workers who were staying in government-arranged lodgings. These workers received a letter last week informing them that their accommodation arrangement would conclude on Friday, 20 October.
Kannur is disappointed.
"Finding another accommodation isn't going to be easy when I don't have a job," he says, expressing concern about his ability to afford rent and advance payments.
Babu agrees.
"If I had a permanent job, finding a place wouldn't be hard," he says. "But since that's not the case, it will be challenging."
Workers line up outside the Māngere Memorial Hall waiting for interviews in September. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia
An Immigration New Zealand spokesperson says the accommodation provided by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment is temporary, and migrants should be aware of this.
"The support announced on 20 September provides eligible MEPV holders with additional support in the form of an accommodation allowance that will allow migrants the opportunity to source their own accommodation and affords them flexibility to seek out employment opportunities within New Zealand," the spokesperson says.
INZ says it is also bringing a third-party accommodation provider on board to assess and provide additional support.
"In the interim, we are aware of accommodation requirements and have previously extended the temporary accommodation to support migrants," the INZ spokesperson says. " (We) will look at further extensions until the additional support package is in place."
Varghese says INZ told him the accommodation arrangement had been extended until Friday, 27 October.
INZ says its investigation in the migrant exploitation issue is ongoing and it is not in a position to update the public.
As of 9 October, Immigration New Zealand has approved 90,662 AEWV applications, and 29,195 accredited employers.
