Autopride Cars Limited has been ordered to pay more than $170,000 for exploiting two migrant workers in Upper Hutt.

The Hutt Valley District Court fined the company $100,000 and ordered $70,654.06 in reparations. The company was convicted in May on two charges of exploiting temporary or unlawful workers.

Both victims arrived on visitor visas and were later recruited by Autopride. They worked long hours for cash, with no employment agreements, no tax registration, and no basic protections. Each worked at least six days a week, around nine hours a day, for $100 cash per day — an effective rate of $11 an hour, well below minimum wage.

Pay was irregular and often had to be requested so they could afford food.

Investigators found managers repeatedly promised to arrange work visas and asked for documents, but no visa applications were ever lodged. The workers were pressured to keep working despite their unlawful status.

One worker was told to hide from Immigration New Zealand during a compliance visit. The other felt unable to leave due to management pressure and concern for a family member employed by the company.

Immigration New Zealand said the workers’ immigration status was used to control them and keep them silent. It urged the public to report migrant exploitation.

Both workers left the company after Immigration New Zealand intervened, citing ongoing exploitation and fear for their safety.

Source: New Zealand Herald

26/09/26