An Upper Hutt car company has been fined for exploiting workers with low cash pay and false visa promises, with one worker told to hide from immigration officials during a compliance check.
Autopride Cars Limited, based in Upper Hutt, was convicted in May in relation to two charges of exploiting temporary or unlawful workers, in connection to the treatment of two migrant workers during 2023.
The victims arrived in New Zealand on visitor visas and were later recruited by Autopride Cars Limited. Both were made to work long hours for cash pay without employment agreements, tax registration, or basic worker protections.
Each worked at least six days a week, typically for around nine hours a day, and paid $100 cash per day – an effective hourly rate of about $11, well below the minimum wage at the time. Pay was irregular and had to be repeatedly requested so they could afford food and personal items.
Company managers repeatedly promised to arrange work visas, asked the workers to provide documents, and assured them that applications were underway. No visas were ever lodged or processed. Instead, the workers were pressured to continue working despite their unlawful status.
MBIE's national manager for investigations Jason Perry said at one point, a worker was instructed to hide from Immigration New Zealand officers during a compliance visit and pressured not to speak to authorities.
"The other felt unable to leave their job because of pressure from management and concern for a family member who also worked for the company."
He said the workers' immigration status was used to "control them and keep them silent".
Following a ruling at the Hutt Valley District Court, Autopride Cars Limited was fined $100,000, ordered to pay a total reparation of $70,654.06 to the workers and had their employer accreditation revoked, which meant they cannot employ migrants under the Accredited Employer Work Visa in the future.
“This case shows how migrant exploitation works in real life, with people being kept quiet through fear and pressure," Perry said.
"Exploiting migrants isn’t 'doing business'. It's criminal behaviour, and we will pursue it to hold those responsible to account."
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