Immigration warns of false work offers

Students in Singapore paying $4000 for chance to work in NZ.Lincoln Tan
Lincoln Tan is the New Zealand Herald’s diversity, ethnic affairs and immigration senior reporter.


International job-seekers are warned to go to a registered adviser. Photo / ThinkstockImmigration New Zealand has put out a global warning about fake New Zealand job offers being sold to international students in Singapore.
A job offer from a New Zealand employer is a requirement for those wishing to apply for a work visa under the essential skills work category.
The fake employment offers, sold to mainly Indian students in Singapore for up to $4000, were for positions ranging in information technology, health and food and beverage and were printed on letterheads of recruitment company Kelly Services.
"We have ensured that information on this scam is available to all our decision-makers globally," said Immigration general manager Nicola Hogg.
New Zealand has seen a spike in numbers of Indian nationals wishing to move here in the various categories in recent years, including as skilled migrants and international students.
Ms Hogg said those seeking to work here needed to ensure that they were getting their immigration information from a credible source.
"While people are free to find out for themselves about the requirement for work in New Zealand, work opportunities and to arrange jobs, anyone who needs immigration advice should only use a licensed immigration adviser."
James Ellis, director of Edvantage International Consulting, an educational agency in Auckland, said one of his clients who studied at a private management school in Singapore paid $4000 to go through a job interview for a fictitious Kelly Services offer to work in food and beverage for Takatu Lodge and Vineyard in "Matakata" Auckland.
The student was promised a salary of $28,600 and was told the contract was renewable after two years.
In a letter to Immigration, Mr Ellis said he believed hundreds of students could have been "lured" to study in Singapore because of the promise of work in New Zealand.


"I am concerned about the scam or fraud ... promising unsuspecting and vulnerable students work permits in New Zealand," he said.
Kelly Services general manager Victoria Robertson said the offer was not genuine and that it had not been supplied or sold by any member or authorised representative of the company.
She said there were a number of elements in the offer letter that were "patently false", including the brand and layout, address and the person named in the contract had never been an employee of the company.
Ms Robertson said the company did not charge to source for employment and letters of offer were made only when there was a genuine offer for work.
"We have followed up this matter with the relevant authorities and have made our global team aware of the false use of our brand in this regard."
- NZ Herald