{"id":795715,"date":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=79059"},"modified":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T23:24:55","slug":"workers-who-helped-nz-migrant-fraud-inquiry-gutted-to-be-told-to-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/09\/11\/workers-who-helped-nz-migrant-fraud-inquiry-gutted-to-be-told-to-leave\/","title":{"rendered":"Workers who helped NZ migrant fraud inquiry gutted to be told to leave"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Lucy Xia,<\/a> RNZ News<\/a> reporter<\/em><\/p>\n A group of migrants who have been helping a New Zealand investigation into immigration fraud may soon be forced to leave the country.<\/p>\n The group were some of the 50 Chinese construction workers who claimed a New Zealand-based recruiter had misled them about their pay and working rights.<\/p>\n Last year an arrest warrant was issued for Li Wenshan, also known as Peter Li, who fled New Zealand<\/a> before charges were laid.<\/p>\n Li still faced charges for immigration fraud.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, two other people associated with Li face a trial in December this year.<\/p>\n Ten workers are expected to give evidence in court, claiming they were duped.<\/p>\n But last week, the workers were told by Immigration authorities that they would be expected to leave the country within a month of the trial ending.<\/p>\n Undermining probe efforts<\/strong> “These workers are not pieces of evidence, they are human beings, and so to put them in a situation where they are treated as expendable once they’re not deemed useful to provide evidence is unjust,” March said.<\/p>\n “And, actually [it] will undermine the government’s intent to create a supportive environment , where workers are able to come forward and participate in processes to hold employers to account.”<\/p>\n March called for the immigration minister to intervene, and to send a strong message that workers holding employers to account would be supported.<\/p>\n One of the men due to give evidence in court, 50-year-old carpenter Sheng Canhong, felt he had been punished for doing the right thing.<\/p>\n “The New Zealand government doesn’t like people who speak up and affect New Zealand’s reputation. Such people are not welcome here,” he said.<\/p>\n\n
\nGreen Party immigration spokesman Ricardo March said the treatment of this group undermined efforts to combat migrant exploitation.<\/p>\n