New Zealand immigration fraud and scams

How to recognise and avoid immigration scams when applying for a New Zealand visa, protecting yourself from visa fraud and losing money for nothing.

Protecting yourself from immigration scams

The immigration scams to watch out for, and how to protect yourself from these scams and from visa fraud.

Those planning to apply for a visa to come to New Zealand need to watch out for people who may defraud them of money or sign them up to work that is not as promised.

Below are the scams to check for and the steps that may be taken to help protect yourself from scams or visa fraud.

Those already working in New Zealand who think they are being exploited should not hesitate to ask Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for help. Immigration New Zealand and Employment New Zealand can help, and can take action where needed.

Checking for the signs of a scam

Where these signs of a scam are seen, stop and take additional precautions. Ask questions and seek official advice. You may discuss your concerns with Immigration New Zealand.

Being asked to pay for a job

Be on your guard where you are asked to pay fees for a job, sometimes called “processing” or “introduction” fees.

New Zealand employers cannot charge for a job or make a worker pay any of their recruitment costs. This includes doing so through a third party who then requires the worker to pay them.

Where you use:

• a recruitment company, be wary of any high fees they want to charge directly. Any fee from a recruitment company should reflect the service they provide.
• an immigration adviser, you will need to pay a reasonable price for their services.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ)only charges an application fee. You may need to pay costs in gathering evidence for the application, such as completing a medical examination.

Priority processing and access to immigration officers

With this scam, an adviser, agent, consultant or other third party says they can use their connections to secure an outcome or a faster decision.

Applicants are not required to use an adviser. Immigration New Zealand:

• will not prioritise an application simply because a person uses an adviser, and
• decides applications only by assessing the information available against the immigration rules.

Being asked to lie

Lying in order to qualify for a job or a visa is unlawful.

An adviser or other third party is breaking the law where they advise an applicant to do this. It is a sign that they may be breaking other immigration or employment laws.

It is important that the information provided is truthful. Any false statement will affect current and future visa applications.

Being told you do not have the same minimum employment rights as New Zealanders

This is not true. Everyone in New Zealand has the same minimum employment rights, including migrants. This includes the right to paid holidays and sick leave, and the right to complain about unsafe working practices.

Those who say workers do not have these rights may be breaking immigration or employment law.

Being offered a package including accommodation

Being provided with accommodation along with a job in New Zealand is not common.

Only in certain situations, such as working on a farm or for an accommodation provider, is this reasonable.

Be wary of “package” offers including a visa, a job and accommodation — scammers may try to charge excessive amounts for the accommodation.

Being promised residence

New Zealand offers excellent opportunities to study and work. A temporary visa will allow you to enjoy these opportunities, but there is no guarantee that this will lead to residence.

Scammers often exaggerate the chances of obtaining residence, so take care, because the routes to residence require certain skills, experience, qualifications or occupations.

Promises of future income, buying a house, or access to government support

Workers should decide to move here on the basis of what is offered, not on the basis of future promises that may not be kept.

In general, a person cannot buy a house or access government financial support unless they hold a resident visa. Nor can they take on other jobs to earn extra money.

Being told you must use an adviser

Applicants are not required to use an adviser to apply for a visa. You may apply for a visa yourself using the information on Immigration New Zealand’s website.

Where you choose to use an adviser, use only a licensed immigration adviser (LIA), a certified New Zealand lawyer, or another person lawfully able to provide immigration advice. Applicants may choose an LIA on the basis of their language, location and budget.

Not receiving updates on the application

Where an adviser or third party does not provide updates on the application, applicants may go to Immigration New Zealand’s website to find out application processing times.

Where worried at not receiving information, a person may call Immigration New Zealand directly to verify the application.

Coming across a suspicious email or website claiming to be Immigration New Zealand

Immigration New Zealand is aware of scam emails and websites impersonating some of Immigration New Zealand’s online services. Use Immigration New Zealand’s official links to these services to make sure you are not tricked into visiting fake websites. Users may confirm this by checking the website address to make sure it includes exactly “.immigration.govt.nz”. Check carefully, because scam website addresses may look similar.

Official email addresses from Immigration New Zealand end in “immigration.govt.nz” or “mbie.govt.nz”.

Own Your Online is a website set up by the New Zealand Government to help people learn about cyber security. The site has further guidance on how to recognise online scams.

Being asked to pay visa fees or medical fees into a bank account

Immigration New Zealand will never ask for a visa application fee to be paid by depositing money into a bank account. Immigration New Zealand only accepts payment by debit or credit card on online and paper forms. Applicants may also pay for their visa at an approved Visa Application Centre (VAC) where they are outside New Zealand.

Only panel physicians and other registered doctors in the country of origin may take payment for immigration medical examinations. Immigration New Zealand will never ask for payment for a medical examination. These payments should be made to the panel physician’s or registered doctor’s clinic.

Ways to protect yourself from scams

• Applicants are not required to use an adviser. Where you choose to use an adviser, use only a licensed immigration adviser, a certified New Zealand lawyer, or another person lawfully able to provide immigration advice.
• Where you choose to use an adviser or a recruitment company, check prices from several different parties, so that you know you are getting a reasonable price for their services.
• Make sure you are accessing Immigration New Zealand’s official online services. Check the website address carefully to make sure it includes exactly “.immigration.govt.nz”, or access the services through Immigration New Zealand’s website.
• Confirm that the prospective employer is accredited. All employers hiring workers on an Accredited Employer Work Visa must be accredited beforehand. Confirm this using Immigration New Zealand’s online tool.
• Speak directly with the prospective employer, for example through an interview. Moving country is a big commitment, so be honest about your skills to make sure it is a good fit.
• Where in doubt, contact Immigration New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand can help explain the visa options and whether information told to you by others is accurate or realistic. Immigration New Zealand can provide information about applications. Where English is not your first language, Immigration New Zealand can connect you with an interpreter.
• Where possible, do further research by asking people from your country who have made a similar journey to New Zealand.
• Where the employer provides accommodation, ask for photographs and go to the Tenancy Services website to compare market rents for that type of property in the area and to learn about your rights as a tenant.
• Learn about New Zealand, including the cost of living and access to healthcare. Immigration New Zealand’s Live and Work website has useful information.
• Learn about your employment rights as a New Zealand worker. The Employment New Zealand website has useful information in many languages, and a free learning module on minimum rights, responsibilities and resolving employment problems.
• Scammers sometimes provide fake visas. Where an agent or adviser has said that a person has been granted a New Zealand visa, that person may check whether it is genuine using Immigration New Zealand’s Visa Verification service.
• Report scams to the local authorities in your country, such as the Police. Where in New Zealand, you may report scams online on the Own Your Online website.

Resources for organisations working with migrants

For those working with people planning to study, work or live in New Zealand, use Immigration New Zealand’s social media pack to help them recognise possible immigration scams or fraud.

These resources are available in English and other languages.

Further updates are on the government website athere.