Filipino News 168

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10 ISSUE 168 TRABAHO | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.trabaho.nz | Facebook: Filipino Migrant News MIGRANT NEWS - www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media. Students working part-time being exploited verbally, abused by their bosses New Zealand Asians bravely speak out about their own experiences of exploitation. Every person who chooses to leave their home for New Zealand’s shores comes in pursuit of the same dream, a dream of a better life. Migrants arrive in a foreign environment that has a different language and culture, knowing that pursuing this dream will inevitably involve many challenges. They work hard, study diligently and persevere, hoping that they will receive fair treatment for their contributions and efforts. How difficult can the journey be? Asian Family Services (AFS) was established in 1998 to provide services to people of Asian background who are affected by gambling harm, addiction and mental health issues. AFS also offers gambling prevention and harm minimisation services under a Ministry of Health contract and operates a national telephone service (Asian Helpline) for Asian individuals and families. Our services are offered in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch by qualified counsellors, social workers and public health practitioners who speak English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese, Hindi and Thai. Throughout the years AFS has fostered strong relationships with various stakeholders and communities and has gained the trust of the Asian and migrant communities. The organisation has witnessed a significant increase in demand for support services from the Asian migrant population. Notably, the number of calls received by the Asian Helpline has tripled, with a remarkable surge in inquiries from migrant workers seeking assistance due to unfair workplace treatment. In response to this growing trend AFS has directed their team to conduct an investigation into the experiences of migrant employees, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of their unique challenges and needs. Four interviewees of Asian descent have bravely shared their stories, describing the hardships they encountered in pursuit of their dreams. Students exploited and paid less than the minimum wage while working part-time Interviewee A: “When I was studying, I worked part-time in a restaurant. My boss told me the hourly rate was $12 cash after tax. At the time I had just arrived in New Zealand and didn’t know anything, so I worked there for a while. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that was not true.” Constantly working overtime without compensation Interviewee C: “In my first official job after graduation, although the boss paid me the minimum wage and legally taxed me, I was made to work overtime non-stop. The longest I ever overworked was one time when I was supposed to finish at 5 in the afternoon but didn’t leave the office until 11 at night. When I asked my boss how we calculated pay for overtime he very confidently told me that there wasn’t any.” “I’m a designer, but felt like I was hired to do odd jobs.” Interviewee D: “The position I applied for was that of a designer, but the boss asked me to do everything, including working reception at the front desk and driving and delivering goods. After delivering some goods I applied to the boss for a reimbursement of gas expenses. The boss said that I was “way too lacking in team spirit” for making such a fuss about a little bit of money and said that if I asked again, then I would be fired.” Demoralised and verbally abused by the boss Interviewee D: “Shortly after I started working in the company, the boss told me that with my work ability and poor English no western company would want me. He would try to brainwash me and my colleagues like this almost every day. I had good grades when I graduated, but after working in that company where my selfconfidence was beaten down by the boss every day, I felt worthless.” Conned into doing illegal work Interviewee C: “I came to New Zealand from the Philippines to study in 2013. At that time I was introduced to a company for work. There was no interview, no contract and no salary negotiation, which I found very strange. “Later, I was taken to the place of work by my boss - a parking lot. The boss told me to ask the people who parked there if they had filed a tax refund. If they were interested, I could give them the company flyers, they would give us some money and we could help them. But the boss told me “If you see the security guards coming, run away.” “The whole rest of that afternoon the boss left me there alone to familiarise myself with the work. I was only 20 at the time so this was terrifying to me and I felt like the boss was trying to get me to do something illegal. “Later that day I went back to my rental and shared the experience with my Kiwi flatmate who was living with me. He told me not to have anything to do with them anymore and said that it sounded really dangerous. “The next day I went back to school and found the person who introduced me to the job to let them know that I was quitting. He told me “You should really tell the boss and resign formally, because you’ve only just come to New Zealand and no good will come from offending the boss.” I didn’t listen to him and cut all communication with the ‘boss’. When I look back now, I’m glad I did.” Reflecting on their own experiences during the interviews, all the interviewees expressed that having been fully informed regarding Employ-ment rights and laws prior to entering New Zealand would have prevented people from being treated unfairly. The experience of unfair treatment at work doesn’t stop with the financial health of the person, this also affects the physical and mental wellbeing of the person, therefore, it is also helpful for New Migrants to receive prior knowledge of different health services that they can access in a timely manner. Asian Family Services are here to assist you if you or someone you know has experienced migrant exploitation and needs emotional or psychological support, then call our Asian Helpline on 0800 862 342 for help. We can provide professional and confidential psychological support. Our helpline is available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Vietnamese, Thai and English and is open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm. Everyone working in New Zealand deserves to be treated fairly, irrespective of their identity, ethnicity, age, or gender. The rights and support the New Zealand government provides are accessible to all, ensuring equity for everyone. To ensure fair treatment, the first step is to know your rights and be informed of the available support the New Zealand government offers all workers. This information can be easily accessed at www.employment.govt.nz, where comprehensive resources are available to promote equity and to ensure that all workers receive the fair treatment they deserve. If you think that you are being exploited, then you can make a complaint by contacting Employment New Zealand on 0800 200 088, where they can provide language assistance. They are open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:30pm, or access their website and complete the online complaint form at www. reportmigrantexploitation.employment.govt.nz/
The one and only Filipino Job Board www.trabaho.nz Employers - list your jobs here at very affordable rates! Job-seekers, check out new job listings. mob: 027 387 7680 trabaho@xtra.co.nz migrantnews.nz 33 YEARS O N L I N E E D I T I O N . A n d a s a m o n t h l y p u l l - o u t i n F i l i p i n o N e w s N Z . F R E E • NZ’s first Multicultural Newspaper • Circulation migrantnews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 SCAN THIS QR CODE on to your mobile phone and be up-todate on Migrant News www.migrantnews.nz JOIN OUR MAILING LIST Get a link to the latest editions of Filipino News and Migrant News emailed to you. email: migrantnews@ xtra.co.nz Immigration: Policy changes spell a jobs boom for overseas foreign workers By Ricky Matthew WELLINGTON – New Zealand is rolling out the red carpet to recruit highly skilled foreign workers to help fill labour shortages in critical sectors of the economy. Fortunately, the response to this recruitment drive is gaining momentum as the current surge in job opportunities is attracting a large contingent of Filipino workers to our shores. In a bid to address the ongoing labour shortage and to attract highly skilled workers to New Zealand, the government has announced significant changes to the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa and Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) systems. The reforms, which will come into effect on October 9, 2023, aim to provide clarity and faster pathways to residence for skilled migrants, while also ensuring that employers can access the talent that they need. One of the significant changes is the removal of the cap on highly skilled workers, which eliminates an artificial constraint that previously limited the number of residence places available each year. This change allows skilled migrants to settle in New Zealand based on the actual demand for their skills. Former Immigration Minister, Michael Wood, acknowledged the urgent calls for these changes. Labour Attaché Angel L. Borja Jr., “We know that many industries are calling for workers as the global labour shortage bites. The new skilled migrant settings will help attract and retain skilled migrants to fill medium-to-long-term skills needs that would take more time to be filled by workers already in New Zealand.” Under the new system the current points-based SMC visa will be replaced with a simplified points system that establishes a clear threshold for residence. “Highly skilled people will have a faster route to residence and others will have a clear route to residence if they work for a certain period in New Zealand,” explained Wood. The previous requirement of 6 points to apply for the visa will remain unchanged. However, the updated system allows applicants to claim points from their New Zealand occupational registration, qualification (bachelor’s degree or higher), or income from their job or job offer. Applicants can earn between 3 to 6 points from these indicators, but they cannot combine points from multiple indicators. Additionally, applicants can claim 1 point for each year of skilled work in New Zealand, up to a maximum of 3 points. These points can be combined with those earned from occupational registration, qualification, or income. The new system ensures that highly skilled individuals have a faster route to residence, while also providing clarity for temporary workers about their eligibility for residency. In an exclusive interview with Migrant News, Labour Attaché Angel L. Borja Jr., who heads the Department of Migrant Workers (formerly known as the Philippine Overseas Labour Office for NZ and the Pacific), described the SCAN TO VIEW www.trabaho.nz impact that this will have on the Filipino visa holders in New Zealand. “Right now we have almost 40,000 Filipino work visa holders in this country. They range from construction workers to nurses, healthcare workers, Dairy farmers, IT and others. “Filipinos are quite happy to find themselves jobs in this country and now it is clearer whether they qualify under the criteria of Immigration New Zealand by virtue of the new accredited employers work visa.” Another expert in the field, Augencio Bagsic, Director/Barrister and Solicitor at Bagsic Law Ltd, which specialises in immigration, observed that the lifting of restrictions has eased the process for individuals to apply for work visas, but has introduced further processes for employers. “With the new system of applying for work visas, I think it’s much easier now for a person to be accredited, which is a good thing. And then job checks as well are a lot easier. However, it has introduced extra hurdles for the employers. But if you pass JOBS BOARD Job seekers check out this popular jobs board for new listings. Employers don’t delay - list your jobs today. Low cost. Targeted. Augencio Bagsic, Bagsic Law Ltd, all those hurdles, then everything will be smooth for both parties.” Bagsic proceeded to provide an estimate of the time it takes to go through the entire process, from application to arrival, under the revised system. He explained that the timeline can vary significantly. “If the employer is accredited and if they have a job check, then we can be approved in anything from a week to a month. It’s just the preparation for the employee which takes a lot “This JOBS BOARD trabaho.nz is a fantastic way of attracting quality staff. They are easy to work with, fast and effective, giving almost instant results.” Monty Stewart, Kaiwaka Clothing. of time, but for the work visa it is much faster.” The construction sector continues to be a magnet for numerous overseas Filipino workers, Bagsic n o t e d . “Carpenters are still in high demand, because one company can need 10 to 50 carpenters. Dairy farms only need one or two workers, but construction companies need many carpenters.” One of these construction companies seeking Filipino migrant workers is Kiwi-owned and operated Platform Homes. Johnny Taione, a construction consultant at the company, indicated that around 95% of their 400- strong team is made up of Filipinos. “We bring in Filipinos as workers and we bring in workers from other international countries. We are looking for more Filipino workers at the moment. We also do recruit here in New Zealand, so we do both domestic and international recruitment.” New Zealand has once again joined the race to lure foreigners to help fill labour shortages and it appears that skilled workers from the Philippines are responding to the call in droves.
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Filipino News 168

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