Migrant Workers Win $23K in NZ Exploitation Case

Two men from India traveled halfway across the world for a better life in New Zealand, only to find themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation that would ultimately lead to a hard-won victory for worker rights.

Kulvinder Singh, 35, and Jaskaran Singh, 27, arrived in mid-2023 expecting administrative and machine operating jobs. Instead, they found themselves pruning kiwifruit in Bay of Plenty orchards, working seven days a week with shifts stretching to 70 hours.

The situation grew worse when Jaskaran worked an entire month without pay. When his first paycheck finally arrived, his employer Gurpreet Singh demanded he withdraw $1,500 in cash from ATMs and hand it back, claiming it covered taxes.

Kulvinder worked holidays including Matariki and Labour Day without receiving time-and-a-half pay or alternative days off. When he complained to authorities in November 2023, he alleged his employer physically assaulted him and demanded an additional $21,000 to keep his job.

The Employment Relations Authority saw through the employer's deception. Weekly timesheets showing neat 30 to 40 hour work weeks contradicted photos, location records, and daily logs kept by the workers themselves.

The authority ordered NZ Dream Contracting Limited and director Gurpreet Singh to pay $23,220 within 28 days. Kulvinder will receive $13,101.65 in unpaid minimum wages, unlawful deductions, and holiday pay, while Jaskaran gets $10,117.85 including his $1,500 cash kickback.

The Bright Side

This case marks the second major victory for these workers. Just one month earlier, the same authority ordered NZ Dream to repay $104,000 after finding the company had charged each worker $52,000 in illegal fees to secure their work visas and jobs.

The rulings send a powerful message that New Zealand takes worker protection seriously. When the employer failed to attend the hearing and requested adjournment citing stress and financial hardship without medical evidence, the authority proceeded anyway.

If NZ Dream fails to pay, Singh becomes personally liable for the full amount. That accountability matters for vulnerable workers everywhere.

These two men stood up not just for themselves, but for every migrant worker facing similar exploitation. Their courage to report illegal practices, despite fear and uncertainty in a foreign country, helped expose systematic abuse and will protect future workers from the same fate.