By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — A company operating two franchised Domino’s Pizza stores in New Zealand has been prohibited from hiring additional migrant workers for one year after violating immigration rules involving an employee’s work visa conditions.
GBN Trading Limited, which managed Domino’s branches in Pukekohe and Pokeno, was also ordered to pay a NZ$3,000 fine along with NZ$1,500 in prosecution costs following the breach.
According to Immigration investigations national manager Jason Perry, the employee’s visa only permitted administrative duties at the Domino’s Pukekohe branch in Auckland. Authorities later discovered the worker had been deployed at the company’s Pokeno store in Waikato instead.
“The employer knowingly employed someone outside the conditions of their visa, and there are consequences for that,” Perry said.
Immigration authorities stressed that businesses are expected to strictly comply with visa regulations, warning that violations can trigger penalties and employment restrictions.
Officials added that New Zealand’s immigration infringement scheme, which has been active for the past two years, has already issued more than 300 infringement notices amounting to over NZ$1 million in penalties.
Authorities also warned that more severe immigration violations could lead to criminal prosecution.
ia/xf
